DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what means the Fleet will be protected against aerial attack prior to the advent of the Future Aircraft Carriers.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 25 July 2007
	The Fleet relies on a layered defence approach to defeat an aerial attack. The backbone of the Fleet's ability to defend itself from air attack in the outer layer of maritime air defence will continue to be provided by destroyers. At present, this is achieved using the Type 42 Destroyers equipped with the medium range Sea Dart surface to air missile system. Type 45 Destroyers will gradually replace the Type 42 destroyers. These new ships will be armed with the Principal Anti Air Missile System, enhancing the Fleet's capability to counter the most sophisticated aircraft and anti-ship missiles in the world.
	In the inner layer of Maritime Air Defence the Fleet's close range air defence capability will continue to be provided by Type 22 and Type 23 Frigates equipped with the Seawolf point defence missile system. Additional air defence capability will also come from a combination of close-in weapon (gun) systems, such as Goalkeeper and Phalanx, and decoys.
	Airborne Early Warning Sea King helicopters will provide the long range detection of airborne contacts.

Ammunition

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent on researching enhanced blast munitions; what orders have been made for them; and what plans there are for future procurement of the munitions.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence has current research programmes relevant to enhanced blast munitions valued at approximately £10 million, spread over more than five years. These are to investigate the underlying science and are aimed at the assessment of the threat to UK armed forces, what protection is appropriate, and the advantage of incorporation of such technology into weapons.
	The MOD has one programme which incorporates enhanced blast technology, the Anti-Structures Munition (ASM), as announced by my predecessor on 6 February 2006,  Official Report, column 34WS, due to enter service at the end of 2009. It will enable infantry to defeat hardened structures such as buildings or bunkers, reducing casualties to our forces while minimising collateral damage. In the interim an off the shelf system has been procured until the ASM becomes available. There are currently no plans for future procurement of enhanced blast munitions.

Armed Forces: Desertion

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel were reported as absent without leave in each  (a) month and  (b) year since January 2004.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table shows the number of Royal Navy personnel absent without leave in each month since January 2004 to June 2006.
	
		
			   2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 January 13 23 19 12 
			 February 14 28 14 10 
			 March 18 16 19 9 
			 April 11 16 12 5 
			 May 12 22 14 6 
			 June 23 20 13 15 
			 July 12 15 5 — 
			 August 11 14 11 — 
			 September 17 4 13 — 
			 October 26 12 15 — 
			 November 20 18 13 — 
			 December 7 8 9 — 
		
	
	The following table shows absence without leave statistics by calendar year from January 2004:
	
		
			   Navy  Army  RAF 
			 2004 185 3,030 55 
			 2005 195 2,715 35 
			 2006 155 2,330 10 
			 2007 55 1,275 15 
			  Notes:  1. Both the Navy and the Army record AWOL statistics by the number of incidences of AWOL rather than the number of people who have gone AWOL, so there may be a number people who are represented more than once in these figures.  2. Figures are rounded to the nearest five and are as at 23 July 2007.  3. Differences in figures for individual years compared to previous answers occur because personnel may have been wrongly reported as AWOL in the first instance, or conversely they may have subsequently been found to have been AWOL and the records rectified later. 
		
	
	Monthly breakdowns of the figures for the Army and the Royal Air Force could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Desertion

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel classed as being absent without leave since 1997 have not yet been accounted for.

Bob Ainsworth: The numbers of personnel who have gone absent without leave from the services since 1 January 1997 and remain so are, as at 23 July 2007,
	Navy: 30
	Army: 1,175
	RAF: 15
	These figures are rounded to the nearest five. They are subject to daily changes as individuals return to their units.
	There is no evidence to suggest that operational commitments or any other factors are causing a significant increase. There are a number of reasons why personnel may go AWOL but anecdotal evidence suggests that most incidents are caused by domestic circumstances, such as family problems, rather than any wish to avoid military service.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the suitability of 36 Grays Lane, Headley Court for temporary service family accommodation.

Derek Twigg: The generous offer by the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Forces Help (SSAFA—Forces Help) to use this property in Ashtead to provide short-term accommodation for families visiting relatives who are being treated at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC), Headley Court is very welcome. DMRC staff have advised that the accommodation, with minor alterations to facilitate access, will be entirely suitable for the proposed purpose.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will support the Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen and Families Association in its application to the local council to make alterations to its property in Ashtead, Surrey, for armed forces' families visiting Headley Court.

Derek Twigg: As I made clear on a recent visit to Headley Court, when I opened a new ward, I am most grateful for the Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) Forces Help's offer to provide a property for the short-term accommodation of families visiting relatives being treated there.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to  (a) support and  (b) accommodate service families when visiting injured relatives at Headley Court.

Derek Twigg: Family visits are an integral part of the rehabilitation of injured service personnel being treated at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Headley Court.
	The staff at Headley Court welcome such visits. The unit meets appropriate travel and subsistence costs, including overnight accommodation if it is in the patient's interests to have their family close by. In addition to local hotels, accommodation currently available to visiting families includes Pigeon House, a four-bedroom house in the Headley Court grounds, and Dale View, a converted three-bedroom service married quarter.

Armed Forces: Human Rights

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the section of the transcript of the Bulford Camp court martial relating to advice on application of the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights.

Bob Ainsworth: The trial in question lasted some six months and the transcript comprises approximately 15,000 pages. Evidence concerning advice on the application of the Human Rights Act and the European Convention on Human Rights was given on 8 December 2006. An electronic version of the complete trial transcript of open court sessions, including that day's evidence, will be made available in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: Mental Health Services

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department made of the NHS's requirement for  (a) psychologists,  (b) psychiatrists,  (c) mental health nurses and  (d) occupational therapists in (i) 2006 and (ii) 2007.

Derek Twigg: The requirements for uniformed consultant psychiatrists and mental health nurses on 1 April 2006 and 1 April 2007 are shown as follows:
	
		
			   Service consultant psychiatrists  Service mental health nurses 
			 2006 26 113 
			 2007 28 123 
			  Source: DMSD quarterly manning return 1 April 2006/March 2007 PPSG. 
		
	
	As stated in my answer of 7 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 1985-88W, the armed forces no longer employ uniformed psychologists and mental health occupational therapists, but the MOD does employ civilian clinical psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health nurses. The required numbers for these grades are not held centrally. I will write to the hon. Member with these figures once they have been collated and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: Temporary Accommodation

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service families have been placed by MoDern Housing Solutions in  (a) Premier Travel Inns and  (b) other hotels in each year since 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Housing Prime Contract was awarded to MoDern Housing Solutions on 14 November 2005 and was rolled out in January 2006. The number of families placed in Premier Travel Inns and other hotels since 1 January 2006 is as follows:
	
		
			   Premier Travel inns  Other hotels 
			 2006 9 46 
			 Up to 30 June 2007 7 23 
		
	
	Hotels are provided where service families need to be away, for a short period, from their SFA while repairs are carried out.

Army: Travel

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on travel costs for  (a) members of the Army Board,  (b) the Adjutant-General and  (c) the Chief of the General Staff in 2006.

Derek Twigg: In 2006, the Army Board spent £463,010 on travel in total. Of this total, the Adjutant-General spent £3,783 and the Chief of General Staff spent £78,814.
	These figures include accommodation costs for ministerial members of the Army Board, which cannot be separated from travel costs. Totals also contain travel costs incurred by the relevant Army Board Member and their supporting staff, where appropriate, but excludes spouses. Costs relating to military flights and use of official staff cars have not been included.

Atomic Weapons Establishment: Sales

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what safeguards the Government have put in place to ensure that  (a) national security and  (b) sensitive design and manufacture systems are safeguarded from foreign powers following the auction of the Government stake in the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Bob Ainsworth: As indicated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform in his written statement to the House on 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1WS, as part of the process of the sale of British Nuclear Group's share in AWE Management Ltd (AWEML), the Government will be seeking to ensure the enduring performance of AWEML in continuing to meet the requirements of its customer, the Ministry of Defence.
	Such performance covers all aspects of work at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, with particular emphasis on the protection of national security and warhead design information, which are paramount considerations. We shall be applying a strict set of criteria in order to establish the acceptability of prospective purchasers before finalising an agreed shortlist of potential bidders. All factors will be taken into account in our analysis.

Bombs

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason a direct fire capability prevents a rocket with a sub-munition capability from being defined as a cluster munition, with particular reference to the CRV-7 MPSM rocket; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The cluster munitions of humanitarian concern are those fired in the indirect role, whereas certain sub-munition variants are direct fire weapon systems. In the direct fire role the firing crew has line of sight from the platform to the target and has a sophisticated target identification and acquisition system to aid discrimination. In seeking the balance between humanitarian concern and military necessity the UK's definition of cluster munitions therefore excludes direct fire systems.

Departments: Legislation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses; and what plans he has for the future use of such clauses.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence has introduced only one Bill (which became the Armed Forces Act 2006) in the last five years that contains a time limit which may be regarded as a sunset clause. The clause continues the previous practice of making the main legislation governing the armed forces subject to a requirement for annual renewal by Order in Council approved by Parliament and for renewal by Act of Parliament every five years. This accords with the procedure which Parliament has adopted for this legislation in the past.

Departments: Legislation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years did not contain sunset clauses; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Department has been responsible for the introduction of two Bills in the last five years which became:
	The Armed Forces Pay and Compensation Act 2004
	The Armed Forces Act 2006
	The 2004 Act does not contain a sunset clause.
	The 2006 Act contains a time limit which may be regarded as a form of sunset clause. The clause continues the previous practice of making the main legislation governing the armed forces subject to a requirement for annual renewal by Order in Council approved by Parliament and for renewal by Act of Parliament every five years.

Departments: Recruitment

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Department paid in fees to recruitment agencies for  (a) temporary and  (b) permanent staff in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The information requested on how much the Department paid in fees to recruitment agencies for temporary workers and permanent staff in each year since 1997 is not held centrally. It could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Sales

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was raised from the sale of departmental real estate for housing in each year since 1997.

Derek Twigg: The total accrued disposal receipts for each year since 1997 are published in the Defence Estates annual reports and accounts, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Departments: Written Questions

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish his Department's guidance on answering written parliamentary questions.

Derek Twigg: Yes. I have placed a copy of the Department's guidance on answering written parliamentary questions in the Library of the House.

Ex-servicemen: Mental Health Services

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria have been established for assessing the success of the Community Based Mental Health Service for Veterans pilot scheme; what the cost is for  (a) the national roll-out of the service and  (b) the pilots; and what alternatives for the delivery of the service have been considered.

Derek Twigg: A process and outcome evaluation of the pilots over their two-year duration is an integral part of the project. The key measures, advised on by national clinical experts, will be the assessment and treatment regimes provided, and the patient (and carer) experience and outcomes.
	The costs of running the pilot scheme are not yet available as negotiations for the funding of individual sites are still continuing between the MOD, the Department of Health and NHS trusts. The cost of rolling out the scheme nationwide will depend on the outcomes of the pilots.
	The proposed service is advised on by clinical and health care experts and reflects the long established intention that veterans' health care is primarily a matter for the NHS. Using NHS best practice and processes, veterans-sensitive evidence-based interventions will be delivered by public, private or charitable providers. These will be modified as necessary in the light of the pilot evaluation.
	In addition, we have recently announced the expansion of our Medical Assessment Programme (MAP) based at St Thomas' Hospital, London, to include assessment of veterans with mental health symptoms with operational service from 1982 (including veterans of the Falklands campaign). The clinician in charge is a recently retired service military psychiatrist, who will provide support and advice to GPs and other civilian health professionals where the individual is concerned that the service background of their condition may not have been understood within the NHS or where the health professional is seeking expertise on the assessment or treatment of a veteran's condition.

Iraq-Kuwait Conflict: Gulf War Syndrome

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the case for establishing a public inquiry to examine illnesses resulting from the Gulf War; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: It has been the Government's policy since 1997 to be open and transparent about Gulf veterans issues, including the publication of all relevant documents. We have identified and published the lessons of the past, accepting that mistakes were made in 1990-91, particularly with regard to medical record keeping. The Government's view is that there are no substantive issues to be addressed by a public inquiry and that, in particular, it would not help to resolve the long outstanding issue of why veterans are ill; only scientific research might do this. We have funded a substantial programme of research designed to address the key candidate causes so far put forward, but recognising that it would not be sensible to duplicate work being undertaken elsewhere.

Military Bases: Germany

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many standard  (a) 1,  (b) 2,  (c) 3 and  (d) 4 accommodation units there are at UK bases in Germany.

Derek Twigg: Service families accommodation (SFA) and single living accommodation (SLA) in Germany is assessed by grade for charge (rather than Standard for Condition which is used in Great Britain).
	On that basis, the total number of SFA and SLA by grade is as follows:
	
		
			   Germany 
			   SFA  SLA 
			 Grade 1 2,101 1,658 
			 Grade 2 5,376 1,354 
			 Grade 3 4,743 3,475 
			 Grade 4 982 9,782 
			 Total 13,202 16,269 
		
	
	Grade for charge is broken down on amenities and location. Grade for charge 1 would be accommodation that is close to all amenities. Grade 4 would be properties further away. This differs from standard for conditions, which relates to the physical condition of the property.

Navy: Drug Seizures

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the cocaine seized by the Royal Navy in 2006-07 was disposed of.

Bob Ainsworth: The physical seizure of cocaine on Royal Navy interdiction operations is conducted by personnel from relevant local law enforcement agencies embarked on Royal Naval vessels. Once retrieved, the cocaine becomes the responsibility of the relevant law enforcement agency.

Navy: Warships

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the  (a) destroyers,  (b) frigates and  (c) attack submarines (i) currently deployed and (ii) available for short-notice deployment with the fleet.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 25 July 2007
	As at 19 July 2007, the following vessels were deployed:
	 Destroyers:
	HMS Manchester
	HMS Edinburgh
	HMS Southampton
	HMS York
	 Frigates:
	HMS Cornwall
	HMS Kent
	HMS Monmouth
	HMS Portland
	HMS Richmond
	HMS Montrose
	 Attack Submarines:
	The general policy is that we do not discuss submarine operations. Fleet Attack Submarines (SSN) are on patrols in various locations.
	As my predecessor made clear in his letter of 6 March 2007, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, it is not MOD policy to publish details of the readiness states of individual RN vessels or types. I am not prepared, therefore, to provide details of vessels available for short-notice deployments.

Navy: Warships

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with planning for the use of dual crews for warships; and in respect of which classes of warships it is being considered.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 25 July 2007
	The Royal Navy is conducting trials and experimentation programmes to help determine optimal manning solutions, both in the short and mid to longer term, that will maximise the contribution to defence by enabling ships to remain deployed for extended periods, while minimising the impact on personnel. These programmes include swapping ship's companies of HMS Edinburgh and HMS Exeter (Type 42 destroyers), and several Mine Counter Measure Vessels; and providing temporary relief for some personnel on the extended deployment of HMS Sutherland and HMS Monmouth (Type 23 frigates). The trials are continuing.

Peacekeeping Operations

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many repatriations of bodies have occurred  (a) via RAF Brize Norton and  (b) via RAF Lyneham in each year since 2003.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   RAF Brize Norton  RAF Lyneham 
			 2003 53 0 
			 2004 38 0 
			 2005 16 14 
			 2006 64 0 
			 2007 (as at 20 July) 15 36 
			 Total 186 50 
		
	
	In the process of answering this question, it has become apparent that some of the figures provided in response to the hon. Member's parliamentary question of 26 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1359W, were incorrect.
	Unfortunately there were errors in the source documentation for the 2004, 2005 and 2007 figures for repatriations held by Headquarters Air Command. A figure for 2005 was inadvertently reflected in 2004. Also, the figures for 2006 did not include the 14 personnel who were killed in the Nimrod XV230 crash in September 2006. This was because the repatriation ceremony for these personnel was held at RAF Kinloss, but because their bodies were repatriated through, and returned to, RAF Brize Norton, with hindsight it is clear that they should have been included.

RAF Personnel Management Agency: Finance

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) initial resource provision,  (b) in-year variation and  (c) resource outturn was for the RAF Personnel Management Agency in each financial year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The RAF Personnel Management Agency relinquished Government agency status at the start of financial year 2004-05. Therefore budgetary information for that agency is only available up to the financial year 2003-04.
	The resource outturn for financial years 1997-98 to 2003-04 can be found in the RAF Personnel Management Agency annual report and accounts, which are available in the Library of the House.
	The figures for initial resource provision and in-year variations are not held.

Territorial Army: Recruitment

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of Territorial Army (TA) posts which will not be filled as a result of the decision to freeze recruiting in some TA units; and what proportion of TA manpower this represents;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1769W, on reserve forces: recruitment, which Territorial Army units have a recruitment freeze; and what the  (a) establishment and  (b) current manning level is of each, broken down by (i) rank and (ii) appointment.

Bob Ainsworth: It is not possible to provide the information requested, as the details of measures limiting the strength of selected Territorial Army units have not yet been finalised. However, I can assure the hon. Member that a rigorous process involving a wide range of army stakeholders is currently assessing the likely impact of these measures and ensuring that coherence and effectiveness are maintained. I will write to the hon. Member with the results of that process once it is complete and will place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

Trident

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make the first of the regular reports to Parliament on progress made in the Trident replacement programme, as referred to by the former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 14 March 2007,  Official Report, column 309.

Des Browne: In accordance with the usual practice on major procurement projects, the first full progress report on the programme to maintain the UK's nuclear deterrent will be made after the Initial Gate for the new class of submarines, currently estimated to be in 2009. Interim reports will be provided depending on progress with the programme.

Type 45 Destroyers

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there has been a change in the intention to build eight Type-45 Destroyers.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 25 July 2007
	No decision has yet been made to order the seventh and eighth Type 45 destroyers. A number of factors will be taken into account as part of the decision-making process, including affordability, value for money, and the wider context of the defence industrial strategy.

Unmanned Air Vehicles: Costs

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the projected costs are of the Watchkeeper UAV system programme; and if he will make a statement on progress in delivering the programme.

Bob Ainsworth: The acquisition costs for the Watchkeeper system are expected to be around £840 million. The planned in-service date is 2011.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Scientific Research

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of public funding for scientific research.

Ian Pearson: Public investment in R and D in 2005 was £7.4 billion. It has grown by almost 30 per cent. in real terms since 1997. The CSR07 period will see the science budget continue to rise above inflation.

Adult Education

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what change there has been in the number of adult learning courses in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for South-West Norfolk (Mr. Fraser).

Apprenticeships

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many apprenticeships were  (a) started and  (b) finished in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2006.

David Lammy: In the 1996-97 academic year 70,100 apprentices started. Information on framework completions was not collected at that time. In the 2005-06 academic year, 171,300 apprentices started and 99,000 completed the full framework.

Apprenticeships

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he is taking to increase the number of people applying for adult apprenticeships.

David Lammy: The continuing expansion of apprenticeships provision, for both young people and adults, is a priority for the Government. Currently around one third of apprentices are aged 19 to 24, and evidence from recent trials of 25+ apprenticeships suggests that they can be a useful method of learning for some people. Therefore the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is making available £16.7 million in 2007-08 to fund 8,000 additional places for this age group.
	The Government will naturally encourage and support employers, LSC and sector skills councils (SSCs) in their normal promotion practices to recruit adult apprentices to fill the 8,000 places.
	The Government are also supporting the LSC in its new skills campaign 'Our future. It's in our hands' launched on 9 July. This campaign is aimed at improving the skills of the nation and will include the promotion of adult apprenticeships.

Science and Innovation

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what progress has been made on the Government's 10-year strategy on science and innovation published in 2004; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Government published their third annual report on the Science and Innovation Investment Framework on Monday (23 July). The report shows that over the last year there has been continued, good progress in implementing the Government's challenging vision for science and innovation.

Apprentices: Cumbria

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many apprenticeships there were in Westmorland and Lonsdale in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07.

David Lammy: Figures for those participating in apprenticeships can be derived from the Learning and Skills Council's (LSC) Individualised Learner Record (ILR). There were 440 learners on apprenticeships and 250 on advanced apprenticeships in the Westmorland and Lonsdale parliamentary constituency (based on home post code of the learner) in 2005/06. Comparable figures for 2006/07 will not be available until December 2007.
	 Source:
	Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Work Based Learning (WBL) Individualised Learner Record (ILR).
	Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Basic Skills: Training

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many organisations have signed up to the Skills Pledge scheme.

John Denham: More than 150 leading private and public sector employers from across England made the Skills Pledge at its launch on 14 June. This means that over 1.7 million employees are covered by a Skills Pledge. Since 14 June an additional 146 companies have expressed an interest in the Skills Pledge through the Train to Gain website and helpline. Brokers are currently working with these employers to take their commitment forward.

Unemployment: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what percentage of 16 to 19-year-olds in York were registered as unemployed in January 2007.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 July 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what percentage of 16 to 19 year olds in York were registered as unemployed in January 2007. (151627)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for parliamentary constituencies from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following ILO definitions.
	For the 12 months ending in December 2006, the latest available data, there were 1,000 persons aged 16 to 19, resident in the City of York constituency, who were unemployed. This estimate is 16 per cent of the resident population aged 16 to 19. The unemployment rate, which is the number of unemployed expressed as a percentage of the economically active population, in that age group, was 25 per cent.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). For January 2007, there were 200 persons aged 16 to 19, resident in the City of York constituency, claiming JSA. The corresponding figure for the latest available month, June 2007, is 180.
	
		
			  Table 1: employment by sex; City of York parliamentary constituency 
			  T housand 
			   Men  Women  Total 
			  12 months ending  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage) 
			 February 1997 22 71 22 65 44 68 
			 February 1998 24 74 21 63 45 69 
			 February 1999 28 81 20 65 48 73 
			 February 2000 25 81 20 72 45 77 
			 February 2001 27 81 24 76 51 79 
			 February 2002 28 81 24 72 51 77 
			 February 2003 29 83 25 72 54 77 
			 February 2004 28 80 25 73 53 77 
			 March 2005 29 80 26 71 55 75 
			 March 2006 27 79 25 73 52 76 
			 (1) Persons aged 16 and over. (2) Persons of working age—males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59.  Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.  Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: employment by sex; City of York unitary authority 
			  T housand 
			   Men  Women  Total 
			  12 months ending  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage) 
			 February 1997 43 79 39 71 82 75 
			 February 1998 43 79 34 65 77 72 
			 February 1999 45 82 38 71 83 76 
			 February 2000 44 81 39 71 83 76 
			 February 2001 49 84 44 78 93 81 
			 February 2002 49 84 43 75 93 80 
			 February 2003 50 84 43 74 93 79 
			 February 2004 48 82 43 77 92 79 
			 March 2005 49 82 43 76 92 79 
			 March 2006 48 81 45 76 93 79 
			 (1) Persons aged 16 and over. (2) Persons of working age—males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59.  Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.  Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: employment by sex; Yorkshire and the Humber 
			  T housand 
			   Men  Women  Total 
			  12 months ending  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage) 
			 February 1997 1,163 74 988 66 2,151 70 
			 February 1998 1,178 76 993 66 2,170 71 
			 February 1999 1,202 77 1,010 68 2,212 73 
			 February 2000 1,197 77 1,014 68 2,211 73 
			 February 2001 1,208 78 1,051 70 2,259 74 
			 February 2002 1,221 78 1,044 69 2,265 73 
			 February 2003 1,233 78 1,047 68 2,280 73 
			 February 2004 1,248 78 1,064 69 2,312 74 
			 March 2005 1,252 79 1,068 69 2,320 74 
			 March 2006 1,251 78 1,072 69 2,322 74 
			 (1) Persons aged 16 and over. (2) Persons of working age—males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59.  Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability. Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.  Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey

Young People: Training

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the provision of youth training opportunities in the public sector.

David Lammy: Around a third of the current total of 250,000 apprenticeships are being delivered in the public sector. We want to expand apprenticeships to meet Lord Leitch's ambition for 500,000 apprentices in learning in the UK (400,000 in England) by 2020. I will be speaking to my ministerial colleagues about this over the coming weeks.

PRIME MINISTER

Parliamentary Questions

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister what criteria apply in deciding which ordinary written parliamentary questions of which no previous notice has been given shall be answered on the next day.

Helen Goodman: I have been asked to reply.
	All Ministers aim to answer all parliamentary questions as soon as possible.

WALES

Administration of Justice

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has held with Welsh ministers on the possible devolution of responsibility for criminal justice to the National Assembly for Wales.

Peter Hain: None.

Departments: Official Hospitality

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many receptions were held at Gwydyr House in each of the last five years.

Peter Hain: The following is a breakdown of the number of receptions hosted year on year in Gwydyr House.
	
		
			   Receptions 
			 2003 3 
			 2004 3 
			 2005 6 
			 2006 5 
			 2007 4

Departments: Stationery

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on stationery in each of the last five years.

Peter Hain: Stationery is supplied under a general office supplies contract, and its cost within the total is not identified separately.

National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) Order 2007

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the draft National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) Order 2007 to be laid before the House.

Peter Hain: The proposed draft order was placed in the Vote Office and Library of the House today, 26 July 2007. Copies can also be downloaded via the Wales Office website.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Official Report: Paper

Andrew George: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate he has made of the amount of paper required to distribute copies of the  Official Report to all right hon. and hon. Members' Westminster and constituency offices during a sitting week.

Nick Harvey: Copies of the daily part of the  Official Report are not distributed to all right hon. and hon. Members' offices, but 252 copies are distributed to the offices or other addresses of Members who have specifically requested such a distribution by completing a sessional demand form.
	In all an average of 1,758 copies of the  Official Report are produced daily. The total amount of paper, including run-up, waste and trimmings, used in the production of the daily part of the  Official Report during a typical sitting week of four sitting days is approximately 3 tonnes. The 252 copies distributed on request to the Members' offices equate to an amount of paper of just under 450 kg.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Coal: Sulphur

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will undertake research on the sulphur content of coal mined in the United Kingdom.

Malcolm Wicks: Information about the typical sulphur content of UK coal reserves is readily available in a range of technical publications. In addition, integrated pollution prevention and control regulations require regular sampling and analysis of the sulphur content of coal being used in processes within their scope, such as electricity generation, with the amalgamated reported data being published by the Environment Agency. This is in addition to any sampling carried out by UK producers and their customers to ensure that shipments comply with contract terms.

Electricity: Energy Supply

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what representations his Department has made to electricity providers on disruptions to the electricity supply in the last three years.

Malcolm Wicks: Electrical inspectors in my Department receive reports of significant interruptions to electricity supply and investigate incidents if the circumstances are warranted. For example inspectors looked into the interruptions at Hurst, London, in October 2006 (National Grid—transformer failure); Carnaby Street, London, in July 2006 (EDF—transformer and underground cable failure); in southern Scotland in March 2006 (storm impact); at Bournemouth in November 2005 (Southern Electricity—fire affecting overhead power line); at Carlisle in January 2005 (United Utilities—substation flooded); and at Birmingham in February 2004 (Aquila now Central Networks—fire in cable tunnel).
	Inspectors also look into circumstances of specific localised power failures affecting individual customers, if problems remain unresolved.
	My officials also liaise closely with electricity companies on an ongoing basis to ensure arrangements are in place to handle large-scale emergency situations.

Electricity: Energy Supply

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what records his Department keeps of disruptions to the electricity supply.

Malcolm Wicks: My Department maintains records of significant interruptions to electricity supply in GB.
	These are reported to the Department in accordance with regulation 32 of the Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 as amended. Electricity transmission and distribution companies are required to report incidents affecting 20 MW of demand or more for more than three minutes, or 5 MW of demand or more for more than one hour, or 5,000 customers or more for more than one hour.

Electricity: Meters

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will have a meeting with the gas and electricity suppliers, smart meter manufacturers and environmental stakeholders including Energywatch and the Carbon Trust to discuss the Government's plans for smart meters.

Malcolm Wicks: My Department has had and will continue to have further discussion on its proposals for smart meters with a range of interested parties, including energy suppliers, metering manufacturers and environmental stakeholders. The Government have also indicated that they will consult on the implementation of proposals in the context of their ambition to see a roll-out of smart meters within 10 years.

Electronic Equipment: Waste Disposal

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps his Department has taken to raise awareness with the public and business of obligations and responsibilities relating to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.

Malcolm Wicks: The WEEE regulations place a number of obligations on producers and retailers of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) to provide information to consumers as to how best they can dispose of their WEEE to help protect the environment. From 1 July consumers are receiving information from retailers when they buy a new item of electrical equipment on how they can do this.
	A number of trade associations have been helping to raise awareness among their members. The Department has organised roadshows, seminars and mailouts as well as press and publicity in national, regional and trade publications. Further briefing events will be taking place in September across the UK for small businesses.

Energy Development Unit

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what measures are in place in the Energy Development Unit to govern gifts and hospitality provided by energy companies; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the total value is of gifts and hospitality received by the Energy Development Unit from energy companies in each year since 1997.

Malcolm Wicks: All civil servants in the Department are required to follow the Department's guidance on the acceptance of hospitality and gifts, set out in the staff handbook.
	The guidance recognises that, in the business world, hospitality is a common and well established means of maintaining working relationships and conducting business and that, in these circumstances, civil servants may accept it when the issues of propriety and possible conflicts of interest have been properly considered.
	Under this guidance, a gifts and hospitality register was established in 1998, on which is registered all gifts over £10 in value and all material hospitality accepted.
	The register was not set up to record the estimated value of gifts or hospitality until 2001 and the guidance does not require estimates to be entered when they may not be known or meaningful, for instance in the case of lunches or dinners. The following table shows the total of the values recorded between 2001 and 22 July 2007, and the percentage of entries where no value was given.
	
		
			  Value of gifts and hospitality received from energy companies: 2001-07 
			  Year  Value recorded (£)  Percentage that were not given a value 
			 2001 2,242 74 
			 2002 1,741 65 
			 2003 612 71 
			 2004 1,442 51 
			 2005 1,313 54 
			 2006 3,403 32 
			 2007(1) 1,626 38 
			 (1) To 22 July

Export Controls

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what plans the Government have to tighten end-use controls over the re-export of UK supplies components as part of their review of export control legislation.

Malcolm Wicks: As the hon. Member is aware, I announced on 18 June 2007 a review of the export control legislation introduced in 2004 under the Export Control Act 2002. This includes a public consultation which seeks comments on the impact and effectiveness of the legislation and whether there is a need to change or enhance the controls.
	In these circumstances I am unable to comment substantively on the potential for changes to the controls as this would risk prejudging the outcome of the review. However, the consultation document includes options for amending the Military End-Use Control, which currently applies in specified circumstances to components that are not controlled elsewhere in the legislation.
	Where items that are being exported are licensable under current UK export control legislation, all known relevant factors, including whether the items are for incorporation into other equipment for re-export to a third country, are taken into account in the assessment of licence applications. When it is clear that military goods will be re-exported or that the equipment into which they are incorporated will be re-exported to a country covered by a full scope military arms embargo, the application for those items will be refused under the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.
	Respondents to the consultation will be able to provide their views, reasoning and evidence on this issue, as well as raising any other areas where they believe that the Government should consider changing the controls.

Housing: South East Region

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what representations the South East England Development Agency has made to the South East England regional assembly on the level of the yearly house building target in the Regional Spatial Strategy.

Stephen Timms: Following the South East England regional assembly's adoption of housing growth options in October 2004, SEEDA commissioned work to explore the needs of the region's economy. This established that maintaining present economic growth rates would require up to 45,000 new houses per annum, and that improvements in productivity and economic activity rates could reduce this requirement to 34,800 new houses per year while maintaining overall growth rates.
	On the basis of this work (which was published by SEEDA), SEEDA's board agreed in March 2005 a response to the Regional Spatial Strategy consultation draft (published in April 2005) which made the case for a minimum average level of housing growth of 34,800 units per year 2006-26. The regional assembly adopted a proposed profile of 32,000 units per annum for 2006-11 and 36,000 units per annum for 2011-26.
	Once the draft RSS was published in April 2006, SEEDA's board reconsidered the evidence at its June 2006 meeting and reaffirmed its support for the housing growth levels given above.
	On this basis, SEEDA submitted written objections to the draft RSS which were considered by the Panel of Inspectors at the Examination in Public (October 2006-March 2007).

Manufacturing Industries: Balance of Trade

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the latest annual figure is for the trade deficit in manufacturing; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce it.

Stephen Timms: The Office for National Statistics estimates that the UK trade deficit in manufactures (Standard International Trade Classification sections 5 to 8) was about £51.9 billion in 2006 on a balance of payments basis.
	The Government are strongly committed to the development of a high-value modern manufacturing sector which competes effectively in global markets. We have been successful in providing a stable macro-economic framework in which business can prosper and grow and are taking action through the manufacturing strategy to enable manufacturers to move to high value-added production through the application of science and innovation and the development of world class skills.

Nuclear Power Stations

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral answer of 4 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 954-5, whether the Government have made a decision to build new nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: Before we make a decision on nuclear, we are committed to consulting. Our nuclear consultation was published on 23 May. The Government have a preliminary view that it would be in the public interest to give energy companies the option to consider nuclear alongside other forms of low carbon electricity generation, but have not made a decision.
	The Government will consider all responses as part of the consultation and will make a decision later this year after, and in the light of, the consultation.

Renewables Obligation

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effect of the renewables obligation on carbon dioxide emissions.

Malcolm Wicks: Between 2002-03, when the RO was introduced, and 2005-06—the latest date for which figures are available from Ofgem—the RO was responsible for 37.9 TWh of generation from renewable sources. This amounts to a saving of 5.2 MtC.
	Work by Oxera, published alongside the consultation on banding the RO on 23 May 2007, suggests that unchanged, the RO is estimated to save 90.6 MtC over its lifetime (until 2026-27).
	Renewables generation assets, such as wind farms, which have been built to take advantage of the RO will continue in operation after the RO has come to an end, providing further savings beyond 2026-27.

Severn Barrage

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what discussions he has had with  (a) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds,  (b) the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and  (c) the wildlife trusts on the proposal to build a Severn tidal barrage.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 24 July 2007
	There is no specific proposal at present to build a Severn barrage, so I have not had any discussions with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) or any of the wildlife trusts on this issue.
	However, the Sustainable Development Commission, with financial support from various parties including my Department, is undertaking a major study of tidal power in the UK. The study is looking at various options for harnessing the potential tidal energy resource that exists around the UK, including within the Severn estuary.
	The study has included a programme of stakeholder and public engagement, as part of which the SDC has held discussions with the RSPB and the statutory conservation agencies. The SDC's final report is expected to be published in September and further details of the study can be seen at
	www.sd-commission.org.uk/pages/tidal.html.

Severn Barrage

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will ask the Sustainable Development Commission to take evidence from right hon. and hon. Members representing constituencies in the areas around the river Severn as part of its study of tidal power in the UK.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 24 July 2007
	A central part of the Sustainable Development Commission's (SDC) work has been a public and stakeholder engagement programme. Although not aimed exclusively at Members for the Severn region constituencies, a stakeholder workshop held in Cardiff and an online forum on the SDC website have provided Members with the opportunity to contribute to the study.
	Given that the study is now at an advanced stage and with the final report expected in September, I am doubtful about whether the SDC would find it reasonably practicable to accommodate such a request. However, Members are free to directly approach the SDC, with which any decision on whether or not to accept further representations rests.
	It is worth pointing out that were any specific development proposal taken forward, significant public consultation would be required.

Shipping

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will  (a) initiate and  (b) evaluate research on the effect on the UK economy of the diminishing size of the UK merchant navy's (i) number of British-registered ships, (ii) number of UK merchant navy officers and (iii) UK maritime skills base; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	Government reports and statistics monitor changes in the UK merchant navy and the effect of these changes on the UK economy on a regular basis. The Department for Transport's (DfT) annual "Maritime Statistics" records the size of the UK merchant fleet.
	In recent years, the UK registered fleet has not been diminishing, as the hon. Member suggests. Between December 1997 and March 2007 the number of UK registered ships increased by over a quarter to over 1,900 (of which 1,459 are merchant vessels), while their deadweight capacity increased fourfold from 3.5 million tonnes to 14 million tonnes.
	The DfT has commissioned London Metropolitan University to produce an annual assessment of the number of UK merchant navy officers, ratings, and new trainees, published in "United Kingdom Seafarers Analysis". The DfT has also commissioned two studies from Cardiff University in 1996 and 2003 on "The UK economy's requirements for people with experience of working at sea". In addition the Inland Revenue and the DfT produced a "Post Implementation Review of Tonnage Tax" in 2004.

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women aged  (a) under 16,  (b) 16 to 18,  (c) 19 to 24,  (d) 25 to 29,  (e) 30 to 34,  (f) 35 to 39 and  (g) over 40 years of age in (i) Essex strategic health authority and (ii) England and Wales who had an abortion in 2006 had (A) no children, (B) one child, (C) two children, (D) three children, (E) four children and (F) five or more children.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  (i) Total abortions for residents of Essex PCTs( 1)  by number of previous births, 2006 
			   Total previous pregnancies that resulted in a live or still birth 
			  A ge( 2)  0  1  2  3  4  5 and more  Total 
			 under 18 533 — — — — — 554 
			 18 to 19 549 — — — — — 636 
			 20 to 24 931 300 140 — — — 1,427 
			 25 to 29 448 266 241 86 — — 1,072 
			 30 to 34 172 190 247 114 — — 781 
			 35 to 39 121 117 265 112 — — 686 
			 40 and over 34 45 116 66 — — 283 
			 Total all ages 2,788 1,009 1,025 424 133 60 5,439 
			 (1) Totals shown relate to PCTs for Mid Essex, North East Essex, South East Essex, South West Essex and West Essex.  (2) Age groups are shown as published so as not to overlap ages and (for reasons of confidentiality) reveal small numbers, suppressed value or where a presented total would reveal a suppressed value. 
		
	
	
		
			  (ii) Total abortions by number of previous births, England and Wales, 2006 
			   Total previous pregnancies that resulted in a live or still birth 
			  A ge( 1)  0  1  2  3  4  5 and more  Total 
			 under 16 3,960 — — — — — 3,990 
			 16 and 17 13,721 — — — — — 14,629 
			 18 and 19 18,625 3,448 533 — — — 22,667 
			 20 to 24 35,293 12,751 5,600 1,360 274 62 55,340 
			 25 to 29 18,735 9,341 7,828 3,244 928 320 40,396 
			 30 to 34 7,981 6,491 8,020 3,670 1,323 668 28,153 
			 35 to 39 3,682 3,903 6,877 3,481 1,341 790 20,074 
			 40 and over 1,174 1,504 3,066 1,693 630 421 8,488 
			 Total all ages 103,171 38,295 31,985 13,495 4,517 2,274 193,737 
			 (1) Age groups are shown as published so as not to overlap ages and (for reasons of confidentiality) reveal small numbers, suppressed value or where a presented total would reveal a suppressed value.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were carried out at each week of gestation  (a) between four and 17 weeks and  (b) from 24 weeks in 2006; what the (i) age of mother, (ii) residency of mother, (iii) grounds for abortion, (iv) marital status of mother, (v) number of previous children and (vi) number of previous abortions were in each case; and how many and what percentage of those abortions were performed in the (A) public and (B) private sectors.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is set out in the following tables.
	
		
			  (i) Abortions by age and gestation, residents, England and Wales, 2006 
			   Gestation 
			  Age  3 &  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14 
			 u20 124 1,118 4,085 6,411 7,860 5,601 4,888 3,127 2,344 1,271 1,050 
			 20-24 254 2,156 6,715 9,659 10,351 7,337 6,138 3,763 2,770 1,502 1,157 
			 25-29 270 2,120 5,872 7,915 7,457 5,014 3,976 2,365 1,707 935 620 
			 30-34 199 1,536 4,424 5,536 5,039 3,420 2,671 1,637 1,160 654 408 
			 35+ 205 1,670 4,632 5,753 5,088 3,220 2,578 1,499 1,208 763 456 
			 Total 1,052 8,600 25,728 35,274 35,795 24,592 20,251 12,391 9,189 5,125 3,691 
		
	
	
		
			  Gestation 
			  Age  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24+  Total 
			 u20 810 553 483 375 357 262 213 175 168 11 41,286 
			 20-24 891 619 516 386 324 280 207 172 121 22 55,340 
			 25-29 513 352 311 250 180 176 125 112 98 28 40,396 
			 30-34 369 222 194 165 104 117 113 76 66 43 28,153 
			 35+ 341 256 203 181 146 97 96 81 57 32 28,562 
			 Total 2,924 2,002 1,707 1,357 1,111 932 754 616 510 136 193,737 
			  Note: Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0 to 9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0 to 9) when used with data already published. 
		
	
	
		
			  (ii) Abortions by country of residence and gestation, performed in England and Wales, 2006 
			   Gestation 
			  Country of residence  3 &  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14 
			 England and Wales 1,052 8,600 25,728 35,274 35,795 24,592 20,251 12,391 9,189 5,125 3,691 
			 Scotland — — 43 57 48 19 16 — — — — 
			 Republic of Ireland — — 482 1,015 968 735 438 353 246 171 91 
			 Other non England and Wales residents — — 186 333 348 238 182 119 86 54 68 
		
	
	
		
			  Gestation 
			  Country of residence  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24+  Total 
			 England and Wales 2,924 2,002 1,707 1,357 1,111 932 754 616 510 136 193,737 
			 Scotland — — — 11 20 27 20 31 — — 362 
			 Republic of Ireland 94 71 77 56 28 37 25 15 — — 5,042 
			 Other non England and Wales residents 57 59 55 45 35 28 25 20 — — 2,032 
			  Note: Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0 to 9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0 to 9) when used with data already published. 
		
	
	
		
			  (iii) Abortions by grounds, residents, England and Wales, 2006 
			   Gestation 
			  Grounds  9 and under  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17 
			 Section 1(1 )(a) and other(1) 131,020 20,240 12,333 8,964 4,823 3,515 2,819 1,889 1,589 
			 Section 1(1 )(d) 21 11 58 225 302 176 105 113 118 
			 Total 131,041 20,251 12,391 9,189 5,125 3,691 2,924 2,002 1,707 
		
	
	
		
			   Gestation 
			  Grounds  18  19  20  21  22  23  24+  Total 
			 Section 1(1 )(a) and other(1) 1,242 1,021 787 573 485 398 0 191,698 
			 Section 1(1 )(d) 115 90 145 181 131 112 (1)136 2,039 
			 Total 1,357 1,111 932 754 616 510 136 193,737 
			 (1) Abortions 24 weeks and over and carried out under sections 1(1)(b), 1(1)(c) and 1(4) of the Abortion Act are included in total 136.  Note: Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0 to 9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0 to 9) when used with data already published. 
		
	
	More detail for grounds by gestation group can be found in Table 7b of Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, 2006
	Section 1(1)(a): that the pregnancy has not exceeded its twenty-fourth week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or any existing children of her family.
	Section 1(1)(b): that the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
	Section 1(1)(c ): that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.
	Section 1 (1)(d): that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped
	Section 1(4): that the termination is immediately necessary to save the life or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.
	
		
			  (iv) Abortions by marital status and gestation, residents, England and Wales, 2006 
			   Gestation 
			  Marital status  3 & 4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14 
			 Single 614 4,793 14,752 21,967 24,110 16,997 14,141 8,663 6,505 3,459 2,645 
			 Married 126 1,322 3,638 5,301 4,854 3,138 2,407 1,424 1,112 754 408 
			 Divorced, separated, widowed 39 295 782 1,025 1,003 657 551 298 236 140 102 
			 Not known/not stated 273 2,190 6,556 6,981 5,828 3,800 3,152 2,006 1,336 772 536 
			 Total 1,052 8,600 25,728 35,274 35,795 24,592 20,251 12,391 9,189 5,125 3,691 
		
	
	
		
			  Gestation 
			  Marital status  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24+  Total 
			 Single 1,931 1,355 1,127 924 750 625 504 397 349 49 126,657 
			 Married 300 231 225 177 150 154 147 117 99 66 26,150 
			 Divorced, separated, widowed 87 52 35 34 23 14 — 11 — — 5,403 
			 Not known/not stated 606 364 320 222 188 139 — 91 — — 35,527 
			 Total 2,924 2,002 1,707 1,357 1,111 932 754 616 510 136 193,737 
			  Note: Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0 to 9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0 to 9) when used with data already published. 
		
	
	
		
			  (v) Abortions by number of previous live or stillbirths and gestation, residents, England and Wales, 2006 
			   Gestation 
			  Number of previous live or stillbirths over 24 weeks  3 & 4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14 
			 0 630 4,697 13,815 18,880 19,204 13,029 10,428 6,443 4,766 2,699 1,921 
			 1 192 1,495 4,795 6,579 6,964 4,924 4,239 2,567 1,962 1,130 833 
			 2 162 1,549 4,571 6,128 5,989 4,071 3,295 1,960 1,415 736 556 
			 3 or more 68 859 2,547 3,687 3,638 2,568 2,289 1,421 1,046 560 381 
			 Total 1,052 8,600 25,728 35,274 35,795 24,592 20,251 12,391 9,189 5,125 3,691 
		
	
	
		
			  Gestation 
			  Number of previous live or stillbirths over 24 weeks  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24+  Total 
			 0 1,555 1,060 915 730 641 550 445 386 313 64 103,171 
			 1 671 431 362 298 239 186 164 122 103 39 38,295 
			 2 390 307 232 169 118 113 89 64 52 19 31,985 
			 3 or more 308 204 198 160 113 83 56 44 42 14 20,286 
			 Total 2,924 2,002 1,707 1,357 1,111 932 754 616 510 136 193,737 
			  Note: Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0 to 9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0 to 9) when used with data already published. 
		
	
	
		
			  (vi) Abortions by number of previous abortions, residents, England and Wales, 2006 
			   Gestation 
			 Number of previous abortions  3 & 4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14 
			 0 711 5,771 17,303 23,597 24,646 16,696 13,945 8,380 6,210 3,514 2,542 
			 1 278 2,159 6,432 8,925 8,463 5,966 4,772 3,007 2,307 1,257 883 
			 2 or more 63 670 1,993 2,752 2,686 1,930 1,534 1,004 672 354 266 
			 Total 1,052 8,600 25,728 35,274 35,795 24,592 20,251 12,391 9,189 5,125 3,691 
		
	
	
		
			  Gestation 
			 Number of previous abortions  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24+  Total 
			 0 1,995 1,365 1,193 961 788 657 586 471 379 123 131,833 
			 1 709 473 396 305 252 220 124 117 — — 47,156 
			 2 or more 220 164 118 91 71 55 44 28 — — 14,748 
			 Total 2,924 2,002 1,707 1,357 1,111 932 754 616 510 136 193,737 
			  Note: Totals are grouped where there are less than 10 (0 to 9) cases, or where a presented value would reveal a total less than 10 (0 to 9) when used with data already published. 
		
	
	
		
			  Abortions by purchaser and gestation, numbers and percentages, residents, England and Wales, 2006 
			   Purchaser 
			   NHS  NHS Agency  Private  Total 
			  Gestation  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 3 & 4 73 7 440 42 539 51 1,052 100 
			 5 1,285 15 4,193 49 3,122 36 8,600 100 
			 6 6,194 24 12,759 50 6,775 26 25,728 100 
			 7 10,153 29 18,715 53 6,406 18 35,274 100 
			 8 16,173 45 16,124 45 3,498 10 35,795 100 
			 9 12,493 51 10,394 42 1,705 7 24,592 100 
			 10 11,535 57 7,625 38 1,091 5 20,251 100 
			 11 6,722 54 4,999 40 670 5 12,391 100 
			 12 4,425 48 4,214 46 550 6 9,189 100 
			 13 2,004 39 2,786 54 335 7 5,125 100 
			 14 1,246 34 2,273 62 172 5 3,691 100 
			 15 786 27 1,897 65 241 8 2,924 100 
			 16 569 28 1,264 63 169 8 2,002 100 
			 17 409 24 1,160 68 138 8 1,707 100 
			 18 276 20 953 70 128 9 1,357 100 
			 19 17 16 837 75 99 9 1,111 100 
			 20 182 20 660 71 90 0 932 100 
			 21 212 28 490 65 52 7 754 100 
			 22 152 25 383 62 81 3 616 100 
			 23 128 25 328 64 54 11 510 100 
			 24+ 136 100 0 0 136 100 
			 Total 75,328 39 92494 48 25,915 13 193,737 100 
			  Note: Percentages are rounded and may not add up to 100.

Abortion: Children

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many children under 18 years had  (a) a third and  (b) fourth abortion in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many women in  (a) Essex Strategic Health Authority and  (b) England and Wales had an abortion in 2006 who had already had (i) six and (ii) seven previous abortions.

Dawn Primarolo: Numbers of abortions to women age under 18 who have had a third or fourth abortion are not available for release for confidentiality reasons. This is because either the totals are less than 10 (between zero and nine cases) or because a presented total would reveal the value of a suppressed total already published. This is in line with the Office for National Statistics' guidance on the disclosure of abortion statistics (2005).
	Numbers of women resident in the Essex Primary Care Trusts of Mid Essex, North East Essex, South East Essex, South West Essex and West Essex who had an abortion in 2006 who already had (i) six and (ii) seven previous abortions are also not available for release for the same reasons stated above. The numbers for England and Wales are published in Table 4b of the Statistical Bulletin "Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2006", copies of which are available in the Library.

Abortion: Private Sector

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the independent-sector places which applied to be registered with the Healthcare Commission to perform abortions in each of the last 12 months; how many applications were  (a) accepted and  (b) rejected; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Healthcare Commission had three new applications from independent-sector places to register for the termination of pregnancy between July 2006 and the end of June 2007. The applications have yet to be determined and therefore remain commercial in confidence.

Admissions: Heart Diseases

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were admitted to hospital with congestive heart failure in each of the last five years, broken down by strategic health authority.

Ann Keen: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement by the Minister of State on 15 May 2007,  Official Report, column 203WH, on the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, whom the Minister of State has met; and which further stakeholders she plans to meet.

Dawn Primarolo: As the ministerial reshuffle occurred shortly after publication of the strategy and the recess is now imminent, no ministerial meetings with alcohol stakeholders have taken place since the strategy was published. However, early meetings are being sought by industry organisations, and Ministers would expect to meet them, as well as non-governmental organisations such as Alcohol Concern and senior medical representatives.

Alcoholic Drinks: Females

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of smoke-free pubs on levels of binge drinking by women.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department is not aware of any assessment or evidence on the potential impact of smoke-free pubs on levels of binge drinking by women.

Alcoholic Drinks: Health Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to incorporate alcohol monitoring in the Quality and Outcomes Framework.

Ben Bradshaw: As part of the ongoing development of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), indicators and clinical areas will be reviewed in the light of the clinical evidence base. The Expert Panel which advises the QOF negotiations looks at new areas for clinical intervention by practices, in the context of value for money and the benefits to patients.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish regular progress reports on the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy.

Dawn Primarolo: The ministerial group on alcohol harm reduction, which is chaired jointly by myself and the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Coaker), continue to monitor and manage the delivery of the priority actions and outcomes that are set out in 'Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy'.
	Information on progress against the priority actions that are detailed in 'Safe. Sensible. Social.', and links to statistical data assessing reductions in alcohol harm or changes in public awareness will be published regularly on a new Government website, the details of which will be announced in the near future.

Ambulance Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which conditions are treated by ambulance trusts as Category  (a) A and  (b) B emergencies.

Ben Bradshaw: Emergency 999 calls made to ambulance control centres are prioritised so that each can be responded to according to clinical need and receive a level of care appropriate to the patient(s) condition. In order to do this national health service ambulance trusts within England use a process of call categorisation.
	Call categorisation means that the caller is asked a series of questions about the patient. From the responses provided, the call is allocated a code (determinant). This provides a description of the caller's injury/illness and the severity of that problem. Software products are used to help call handlers triage and categorise calls, and the code allocated will depend on the software product used.
	Each determinant has been allocated a response level, by the Department, based on independent expert advice, according to the perceived severity of the determinant description. There are three response levels:
	category A applies to a call where there appears to be an immediate threat to life.
	category B identifies cases that appear to be serious in nature and require urgent assessment.
	category C identifies cases that appear to be neither immediately serious or life-threatening.
	Lists of codes for each software product, grouped by response level, are produced annually and are published on the Department of Health's website. Copies have been placed in the Library.

Ambulance Services: Manpower

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paramedics worked for the North West Ambulance Service and its predecessors in each of the last five years; and what the projected numbers are for  (a) 2007-08,  (b) 2008-09 and  (c) 2009-10.

Ben Bradshaw: The number of paramedics (headcount) working in the specified organisations as at 30 September each year for the period 2002 to 2006 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Specified  o rganisation  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Cumbria Ambulance Service National Health Service Trust 121 144 148 146 (1)— 
			 Greater Manchester Ambulance Service NHS Trust 334 358 381 387 (1)— 
			 Lancashire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 166 198 210 232 (1)— 
			 Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust 281 337 298 416 (1)— 
			 North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 1,175 
			 Total of specified organisations 902 1,037 1,037 1,181 1,175 
			 (1 )Not applicable.  Source: Information Centre for health and social care non-medical workforce census. 
		
	
	Workforce planning is a matter for individual trusts to undertake, working with their commissioners and strategic health authorities. Plans need to be, and are, regularly reviewed as circumstances change. North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust has recently provided information to the Department on projected numbers for paramedics. I understand that the trust intends to have 1,347 whole-time equivalents in employment as paramedics in 2007-08, 1,361 in 2008-09 and 1,375 in 2009-10.
	In 2006, numbers of ambulance staff were collected under new, more detailed occupation codes. This included the introduction of a code for emergency care practitioners and the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust recorded 39 ECPs in 2006.
	More accurate validation processes in 2006 have resulted in the identification and removal of 9,858 duplicate non-medical staff records out of the total workforce figure of 1.3 million in 2006. Earlier years' figures could not be accurately validated in this way and so will be slightly inflated. The level of inflation in earlier years' figures is estimated to be less than 1 per cent. of total across all non-medical staff groups for headcount figures (and negligible for full-time equivalents). This should be taken into consideration by those analysing trends over time.

Anaemia: Medical Treatments

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact of the negative guidance by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in its final appraisal of the frequent use of erythropoietins in managing cancer-related anaemia on UK blood stocks;
	(2)  what guidance his Department provides to clinicians managing cancer-related anaemia on the account to be taken of  (a) the Chief Medical Officer's advice to conserve blood stocks and  (b) the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's cost-effectiveness advice on the use of erythropoietins.

Ann Keen: We have made no such assessment. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has not yet issued final guidance to the NHS on the clinical and cost effectiveness of erythropoietins in the management of cancer treatment-induced anaemia. NICE issued an appraisal consultation document on 29 June and its Appraisal Committee will consider the responses received. NICE expects to issue final guidance later this year.

Arthritis: Young People

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what treatment options are available to people with juvenile arthritis.

Ivan Lewis: Children living with juvenile arthritis are able to access a range of treatment options depending on the severity of their condition. Drugs that health professionals are able to prescribe include analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, disease-modifying drugs, corticosteroids, and anti-tumour necrosis inhibitors. Surgery and joint replacement are also available for those severely affected.

Asthma: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) children and  (b) adults were diagnosed with asthma in each London borough in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Information on the number of cases of adult and childhood asthma is not collected centrally.

Autism: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what services were provided for autistic children in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not held centrally. It is for primary care trusts to decide what services to provide for their local communities.

Blood Transfusions: Cancer

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of  (a) the proportion and  (b) the number of blood transfusions given to cancer patients in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: It is estimated that at least 25 per cent. of red cells are given to patients with cancer. Not all of these units are given for direct treatment of cancer. Figures for the actual number of transfusions are not collected, but in 2006-07 the National Blood Service issued 1,864,271 units of red blood cells.
	These figures are based on provisional results from the Epidemiology and Survival of Transfusion Recipients study, a National Blood Service study of patients transfused in England in 2001-02. The study is in the final stages and will be submitted for publication soon. However, it is based on data collected five years ago so it is likely that changes in blood use have occurred since then.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce family history breast screening as part of the national breast screening programme; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published a clinical guideline on familial breast cancer in May 2004, partially updated in October 2006.
	The clinical guideline relates to the classification and care of women at risk of familial breast cancer in primary, secondary and tertiary care. The guideline recommends that women at moderate familial risk of breast cancer or greater should receive annual mammography or magnetic resonance imaging surveillance.
	NICE clinical guidelines are covered by the Department's developmental standards, standards which the national health service is expected to achieve over time. The Healthcare Commission has responsibility for assessing progress towards achieving these standards.
	As part of the development of the new Cancer Reform Strategy, we are examining the feasibility of bringing the management of surveillance of women at moderate familial risk of breast cancer or greater into the NHS breast screening programme.

Cancer: Anaemia

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the economic cost of working days lost due to cancer-related anaemia and fatigue.

Ann Keen: The Department has made no estimate of the economic cost of working days lost due to cancer-related anaemia and fatigue.

Cancer: Drugs

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 1437-40W, on cancer: drugs, what the date of licence in the UK was for each drug.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table shows the date on which each specific indication was authorised (information current at 24 July 2007).
	
		
			  Condition and Drugs  Date of authorisation for specific indication  Drug substance  Notes 
			 Aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma—rituximab (MabThera) Specific indication is not licensed Rituximab MabThera is licensed for the treatment of patients with CD20 positive diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 
			 Breast cancer—docetaxel (Taxotere) 28 August 2000 Docetaxel First line treatment for advanced or metastatic breast cancer 
			 Breast cancer—paclitaxel (Taxol) 27 March 2000 Paclitaxel  
			 Breast cancer bevacizumab (Avastin) 27 March 2007 Bevacizumab  
			 Breast cancer (advanced or metastatic)—lapatinib (Tyverb) Drug substance not licensed Lapatinib  
			 Breast cancer (advanced)—tratuzumab (Herceptin) 28 August 2000 Tratuzumab  
			 Breast cancer (advanced)—vinorelbine (Navelbine) 10 May 1996 Vinorelbine  
			 Breast cancer (early)—anastrozole (Arimidex) 29 October 2002 Anastrozole  
			 Breast cancer (early)—docetaxel (Taxotere) Specific indication is not licensed Docetaxel Current licence is for advanced or metastatic breast cancer 
			 Breast cancer (early)—exemastane (Aromasin) 26 August 2005 Exemastane  
			 Breast cancer (early)—letrozole (Femara) 9 September 2004 Letrozole  
			 Breast cancer (early)—paclitaxel (Taxol) Specific indication is not licensed Paclitaxel Current licence is for advanced or metastatic breast cancer 
			 Breast cancer (early)—trastuzumab (Herceptin) 22 May 2006 Trastuzumab  
			 Breast cancer (locally advanced)—capecitabine (Xeloda) 21 March 2002 Capecitabine  
			 Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia—fludarabine (Fludara) 11 August 1994 Fludarabine  
			 Chronic myeloid leukaemia—imatinib (Glivec) 7 November 2001 Imatinib  
			 Colon cancer (adjuvant)—capecitabine (Xeloda) 30 March 2005 Capecitabine  
			 Colon cancer (adjuvant)—irinotecan (Campto) Specific indication is not licensed Irinotecan Not licensed for adjuvant treatment 
			 Colon cancer (adjuvant)—oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) 18 October 2004 Oxaliplatin  
			 Colorectal cancer (advanced)==irinotecan (Campto) 14 July 1999 Irinotecan  
			 Colorectal cancer (advanced)—oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) 23 August 1999 Oxaliplatin  
			 Colorectal cancer (advanced)—ralitrexed (Tomudex) 11 August 1995 Ralitrexed  
			 Colorectal cancer (metastatic)—capecitabine (Xeloda) 2 February 2001 Capecitabine  
			 Colorectal cancer (metastatic)—tegafur + uracil (Uftoral) 5 January 2001 Tagafur + uracil  
			 Follicular lymphoma—rituximab (MabThera) 2 June 1998 Rituximab  
			 Gastro-intestinal stromal tumours (GIST)—imatinib (Glivec) 7 November 2001 Imatinib  
			 Glioblastoma multiforme (recurrent)—carmustine (Gliadel) 28 September 2000 Carmustine  
			 Glioma (newly diagnosed and high-grade)—carmustine (Gliadel) 14 December 2004 Carmustine  
			 Glioma (newly diagnosed and high-grade)—temozolomide (Temodal) 21 April 2005 Temozolomide  
			 Head & neck cancer—cetuximab (Erbitux) 29 March 2006 Cetuximab  
			 Lung cancer (non small cell)—bevacizumab (Avastin) Specific indication is not licensed Bevacizumab Not licensed for lung cancers of any type 
			 Lung cancer (non small cell)—erlotinib (Tarceva) 19 September 2005 Erlotinib  
			 Lung cancer (non small cell)—gefitinib (Iressa) Not licensed Gefitinib Drug substance not licensed 
			 Lung cancer (non small cell)—pemetrexed (Alimta) 20 September 2004 Pemetrexed  
			 Lung cancer (non-small cell)—paclitaxel (Taxol) 18 November 1998 Paclitaxel  
			 Lung cancer (non-small cell) docetaxel (Taxotere) 20 January 2000 Docetaxel  
			 Lung cancer (non-small cell) gemcitabine (Gemzar) 26 April 2000 Gemcitabine  
			 Lung cancer (non-small cell) vinorelbine (Navelbine) 10 May 1996 Vinorelbine  
			 Mesothelioma pemetrexed (Alimta) 20 September 2004 Pemetrexed  
			 Metastatic breast cancer—gemcitabine (Gemzar) 25 November 2004 Gemcitabine  
			 Metastatic colorectal cancer—bevacizumab (Avastin) 12 January 2005 Bevacizumab  
			 Metastatic colorectal cancer—cetuximab (Erbitux) 24 June 2004 Cetuximab  
			 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma—rituximab (MabThera) 21 March 2002 Rituximab  
			 Ovarian cancer—paclitaxel (Taxol) 11 October 1996 (for first line treatment of advanced ovarian cancer) Paclitaxel Original licence was for second-line treatment only 
			 Ovarian cancer—pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Caelyx) 24 October 2000 Doxorubicin  
			 Ovarian cancer (advanced)— topotecan (Hycamtin) 12 November 1996 Topotecan  
			 Pancreatic cancer gemcitabine (Gemzar) 30 October 1996 Gemcitabine  
			 Pancreatic cancer—Rubetican Not licensed Rubetican Drug substance not licensed 
			 Prostate cancer Atrasentan Not licensed Atrasentan Drug substance not licensed 
			 Prostate cancer—docetaxel (Taxotere) 6 February 2004 Docetaxel  
			 Recurrent malignant glioma—temozolomide (Temodal) 20 January 1999 Temozolomide  
			 Relapsed multiple myeloma—bortezomib (Velcade) 26 April 2004 Bortezomib  
			 Renal cell carcinoma—bevacizumab (Avastin) Specific indication is not licensed Bevacizumab Substance not licensed for renal cancers 
			 Renal cell carcinoma—sorafenib tosylate (Nexavar) 29 July 2004 Sorafenib tosylate  
			 Renal cell carcinoma—sunitinib (Sutent) 11 January 2007 Sunitinib

Cardiovascular System: Screening

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in identifying a suitable risk assessment engine to calculate cardiovascular risk in patients in England and Wales; and what consideration has been given to the importance of including waist circumference for assessment by such a tool.

Ann Keen: Recent publications by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network and by the QResearch group, the latter in the  British Medical Journal, have outlined new approaches to cardiovascular risk assessment. These publications offer significant contribution to the debate that will now take place as a result of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's recent publication of draft clinical guidelines on lipid modification, which covers cardiovascular risk assessment. The Department is monitoring this debate with interest.

Cardiovascular System: Screening

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the reasons are for the delay in his Department's Vascular Programme and guidance on vascular assessment; and when he expects this to be published;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure that the guidance on vascular risk assessment being prepared by his Department will be implemented successfully at primary care level.

Ann Keen: The Department has made no commitment to publish guidance on vascular risk assessment. There has been no delay in the publication of such guidance.
	The Department's Vascular Programme Board has been giving careful consideration to the potential benefits of a more integrated approach to vascular risk assessment and management. This is a complex area, which requires further study particularly in the light of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's recently published draft guidance on lipid modification, which covers cardiovascular risk assessment.

Chiropody: Training

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has taken steps to protect the numbers of pre-registration training commissions for podiatrists.

Ann Keen: Within the overall resources allocated, it is a matter for each strategic health authority (SHA) to determine its own priorities including how much is spent on pre-registration training commissions for podiatrists. Under the current service level agreement with SHAs each SHA is expected to provide for investment in training commissions based on long-term work force need and local financial plans.

Chronically Sick People

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of specialist nurses in the delivery of health and social care to those with long-term conditions.

Ann Keen: Specialist nurses provide a valuable additional resource in the treatment and management of many long-term conditions. They can help people to manage their condition to maintain stability, improve quality of life and prevent frequent admission to hospital and reduce length of stay
	The Government remain committed to the continued development of such roles, and to ensuring that there are enough specialist nurses and other health care professionals to provide high quality services for all client groups.
	The responsibility for specific staffing numbers and skill mix rests with the local national health service. We have given local NHS organisations the freedom to decide how best to use their resources, in consultation with local stakeholders, as they know the health needs of their local communities best.

CJD: Blood

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to make the use of prion removal blood filters mandatory in the UK should the tests on prion removal blood filters in blood transfusions in Ireland prove successful.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Hollobone), 14 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1298W.

CJD: Blood

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the likely number of vCJD blood transfusion transfer cases over the next two years.

Dawn Primarolo: No estimates have been made of the likely number of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) cases arising from blood transfusion over the next two years. However the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) did issue a position statement on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy infectivity in blood in 2006. A copy of the statement can be found on the SEAC website at
	www.seac.gov.uk/statements

CJD: Blood

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been carried out on prion removal of blood filters in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The United Kingdom blood services are independently evaluating the efficacy of the prion reduction filters that are currently available and which meet the qualifying criteria laid down by the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs for Transplantation.

CJD: Blood

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of vCJD have been recorded in the UK as a result of blood transfusions.

Dawn Primarolo: There have been three cases of Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in the United Kingdom arising from blood transfusions from donors who subsequently died of vCJD. All three patients have died. A fourth patient who received a transfusion from a donor who subsequently died was also found to have abnormal prion protein in the spleen and a lymph node after dying of an unrelated illness.

Colorectal Cancer: Screening

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inquiries to the  (a) NHS Direct telephone service and  (b) NHS Direct online service on the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme have been made since April 2006.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the NHS Direct Trust.

Community First Responder Groups: North West Region

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Community First Responder groups there are in each of the five counties in the north west region.

Ben Bradshaw: This information is not collected centrally by the Department. This would be a matter for the chair of the North West Ambulance Service.

Community Nurses: Abuse

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community nurses experienced  (a) physical abuse and  (b) verbal abuse in each year since 1997; how many representations his Department has received about abuse towards community nurses; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected in the format requested.
	In April 2003 the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) was created and assumed responsibility for the issue of tackling violence against NHS staff. Since its creation, the NHS SMS has collected data on the number of reported physical assaults against national health service staff in England for the reporting periods 2004-05 and 2005-06, broken down by NHS trust. This data has been placed in the Library.
	Both the Department and the NHS SMS take the security of community nurses very seriously. The NHS SMS is in continual contact with a wide range of stakeholders representing and involved in the work of community nursing.
	"Not Alone: A guide for the better protection of lone workers in the NHS" was issued by the NHS SMS in March 2005.

Compulsorily Detained Mental Patients

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983 in each of the last 10 years, broken down by  (a) type of section and  (b) age of patient.

Ivan Lewis: Information about the number of patients detained in England under the Mental Health Act 1983 by type of section in national health service hospitals and independent hospitals registered to detain people under the Mental Health Act 1983 between 1997 and 2006 has been obtained from the Information Centre for health and social care. This information is shown in the following table.
	Information about the age of patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 is not held centrally.
	
		
			  All formal admissions to independent hospitals registered to detain patients under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation, by legal status, 1996-97 to 2005-06. Includes changes in legal status from informal to formal of patients while in the hospital—England 
			  Number of admissions 
			   1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04( R)  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Total formal admissions(l) 1,297 1,451 1,842 1,968 1,816 2,193 1,806 1,829 2,029 1,934 
			
			 From informal to formal— total 399 486 583 555 410 524 503 426 400 321 
			 informal to 5(2) and 5(4) 232 291 346 308 251 283 273 292 274 194 
			 informal to 2 83 90 109 139 96 140 116 65 48 45 
			 informal to 3 84 105 128 108 63 101 114 69 78 82 
			
			 Formal admissions into hospital (excl. place of safety detentions) 898 965 1,259 1,413 1,406 1,669 1,303 1,403 1,629 1,613 
			
			 Part II patients—total 773 866 1,045 1,233 1,208 1,439 1,056 1,119 1,220 1,301 
			
			 2 322 389 454 545 491 573 423 460 483 582 
			 3 412 457 561 669 705 846 621 652 732 712 
			 4 38 20 30 19 12 20 12 7 5 7 
			
			 Court and prison disposals—total 122 93 205 173 185 217 244 279 405 302 
			
			 35 7 7 8 7 14 11 10 11 15 16 
			 36 2 1 2 — 3 4 2 3 3 1 
			 37(4)(2) 22 25 52 39 — — — — — — 
			 37 (with S41 restrictions) 30 17 73 51 48 74 65 46 88 92 
			 37 (without S41 restrictions) — — — — 56 61 66 62 99 93 
			 45A 5 7 17 21 — — — — — — 
			 47 (with S49 restrictions) — — — 3 8 12 38 48 71 31 
			 47 (without S49 restrictions) 9 26 31 33 10 5 7 15 21 9 
			 48 (with S49 restrictions) 1 5 6 4 34 36 31 73 64 33 
			 48 (without S49 restrictions) — — — — 1 — — 6 12 — 
			 Other sections—38, 44, 46 46 5 16 15 11 14 25 15 31 27 
			
			 Previous legislation (Fifth Schedule) and other Acts 3 6 9 7 13 13 3 5 4 10 
			 (1) From 1995-96 transfers between providers without a change in legal status are not included. Changes from informal to formal status while in hospital area also included. (2 )From 1995-96, these admissions are counted under the appropriate section at the point was formally admitted to hospital. (R) Revised from bulletin published in December 2004. Source: KH15, K037 and KP90 
		
	
	
		
			  All formal admissions to NHS facilities (including high security psychiatric hospitals) of patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 and other legislation, by legal status, 1995-96 to 2005-06. Includes changes in legal status from informal to formal of patients while in hospital—England 
			  Number of admissions 
			   1995-96  1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04( R)  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Total formal admissions(l) 40,965 39,943 42,578 45,063 44,731 44,765 44,652 43,558 42,623 43,296 43,942 
			 
			 From informal to formal— total 16,326 17,116 18,128 19,413 19,444 19,539 20,112 18,458 17,818 18,173 18,202 
			 informal to 5(2) 8,927 9,238 9,701 10,244 10,091 10,081 10,254 9,534 8,894 8,232 7,637 
			 informal to 5(4) 1,315 1,505 1,616 1,706 1,773 1,932 1,948 1,909 1,779 1,839 1,673 
			 informal to 2 2,429 2,266 2,344 2,483 2,655 2,628 2,525 2,299 2,481 3,003 3,425 
			 informal to 3 3,655 4,107 4,467 4,980 4,925 4,898 5,385 4,716 4,664 5,099 5,467 
			 
			 Formal admissions into hospital (excl. place of safety detentions) 24,639 22,827 24,450 25,650 25,287 25,226 24,540 25,100 24,805 25,123 25,740 
			 
			 Under Mental Health Act 1983: Part II patients—total 22,570 21,045 22,659 23,980 23,807 23,890 23,211 23,812 23,468 23,834 24,317 
			 
			 2 12,292 11,084 12,225 13,200 12,940 13,152 13,027 13,623 13,650 14,327 14,683 
			 3 8,915 8,479 8,854 9,091 9,030 8,955 8,149 8,386 8,235 8,236 8,435 
			 4 1,363 1,482 1,580 1,689 1,837 1,783 2,035 1,803 1,583 1,271 1,199 
			 
			 Court and prison disposals—total 1,836 1,751 1,762 1,655 1,468 1,293 1,279 1,254 1,322 1,259 1,362 
			 
			 35 271 261 262 253 191 134 126 141 130 103 116 
			 36 21 31 24 21 18 15 21 21 11 9 16 
			 37(4)(2) — — — — — — — — — — — 
			 37 (with S41 restrictions) 287 255 241 253 243 211 191 177 189 190 230 
			 37 (without S41 restrictions) 504 447 391 376 338 310 264 286 257 250 229 
			 45A — — — — 2 — 1 3 2 — 1 
			 47 (with S49 restrictions) 211 203 209 219 190 176 173 182 204 228 242 
			 47 (without S49 restrictions) 29 22 31 11 17 21 36 32 51 51 47 
			 48 (with S49 restrictions) 341 333 403 374 320 262 313 266 276 282 328 
			 48 (without S49 restrictions) 51 41 26 24 21 14 13 13 25 8 14 
			 Other sections—38, 44, 46 121 158 175 124 128 150 141 133 177 138 139 
			 
			 Previous legislation (Fifth Schedule) and other Acts 233 31 29 15 12 43 50 34 15 30 61 
			 (1) From 1995-96, transfers between providers without a change in legal status are not included. Changes from informal to formal status while in hospital area also included. (2) From 1995-96, these admissions are counted under the appropriate section at the point when the patient was formally admitted to hospital. (R) Revised from bulletin published in December 2004.  Source: KH15, KO37and KP90

Conal Timoney

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1383W, on Conal Timoney, from which company Mr. Timoney's services are being contracted; what the value is of that contract; and what Mr. Timoney's salary is.

Ben Bradshaw: Mr. Timoney is no longer a contractor with the Department. He is engaged for the Department via a short-term national health service contract. The Department does not comment on employment terms negotiated with the NHS.

Dementia: Westmorland

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional community-based services have been commissioned for people suffering dementia-related illnesses in Westmorland and Lonsdale since 2006.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not held centrally.
	It is for primary care trusts to commission services for their local populations and to work with the local health community and other stakeholders to plan, develop and improve health services to meet the needs of the community, including people suffering dementia-related illnesses.

Dental Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 156-7W, on dental services, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that units of dental activity which were commissioned in 2006-07 but not provided by 1 April 2007 are provided by primary care trusts in 2007-08.

Ann Keen: The Department has provided guidance for primary care trusts on managing under-delivery of commissioned services in the document 'Primary care dental contracts: Advice on managing end-year issues '. Copies have been placed in the Library and are available at
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_064321

Dental Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what value of dental services were commissioned, expressed as units of dental activity, in  (a) the test year of 1 October 2004 to 30 September 2005 and  (b) the financial year immediately preceding the implementation of the new general dental services contract.

Ann Keen: Prior to April 2006, dentists providing general dental services were not subject to commissioning arrangements by primary care trusts (PCTs). Personal dental services pilot schemes were commissioned by PCTs but units of dental activity were not then available as a contract currency for setting or measuring levels of dental activity.

Dental Services

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to primary care trusts on applying the index of orthodontic treatment need.

Ann Keen: Guidance to primary care trusts on national health service orthodontic assessments and the index of orthodontic treatment need is set out in the document 'Strategic Commissioning of Primary Care Orthodontic Services', copies of which are placed in the Library and are also available at
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4139176

Dental Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people in  (a) Westmorland and Lonsdale,  (b) the Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust area,  (c) the North West Region and (d) England are registered with an NHS dentist.

Ann Keen: Since April 2006, patients no longer have to be registered with a dental practice to receive national health service care and treatment.
	The closest equivalent measure to 'registration' is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services ('patients seen') in a given area over a 12-month period, expressed as a percentage, of the estimated population for that area. However, this is not directly comparable to the registration data for earlier years.
	The numbers of patients seen as a per cent, of the population in the 24 month periods ending 31 March, 30 June, 30 September, 31 December 2006 and 31 March 2007 are available in Table F2 of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England Q4: 31 March 2007 report. Information is available at strategic health authority and primary care trust (PCT) area in England.
	This report has been placed in the Library and is also available on-line at
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalq4
	Information cannot be made available at constituency level without disproportionate cost.
	As from 1 October 2006, Morecambe Bay PCT was integrated into Cumbria PCT and North Lancashire PCT. Information for Cumbria PCT and North Lancashire PCT is included in the above report.

Dental Services: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices  (a) opened and  (b) closed in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Contracts

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 235W, on Departments: contracts, how much was spent on contracts awarded to external suppliers by public bodies sponsored by his Department in each year since 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not regularly collect data on contracts awarded to external suppliers by public bodies sponsored by the Department, including their spend. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 235W.

Departments: Contracts

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how his Department monitors contracts issued by public bodies reporting to his Department, with particular reference to the terms and conditions applied to their workforce.

Ann Keen: There is currently no mechanism for the Department to monitor contracts awarded by individual national health service trusts.

Departments: Contracts

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2007,  Official Report, columns 1383-5W, on departments: contracts, what contractual advantage service category 27 delivered over service category 11.

Ben Bradshaw: In terms of the procurement of the Framework for procuring External Support for Commissioners, there is no contractual advantage to the Department arising from the use of service category 27 over service category 11.

Departments: Land

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what disposals his Department made of land in Hampshire in each year since 1997; and whether he required any of the land to be used for social housing.

Ben Bradshaw: The table identifies the larger sites in Hampshire in the ownership of the Secretary of State for Health that have been disposed of since 1997.
	
		
			   Disposal 
			 1997 Part of Park Prewett, Basingstoke 
			  Part of Hazel Farm, Southampton 
			 1998 Part of St. James' Hospital, Portsmouth 
			 1999 Part of Hazel Farm, Southampton 
			  St. Paul's Hospital, Winchester 
			  Part of Prewett Park, Basingstoke 
			 2000 Knowle Hospital, Fareham 
			 2001 Part of Hazel Farm, Southampton 
			  Part of Lord Mayor Treloar, Alton 
			 2002 Leigh House, Southampton 
			 2003 Part of St. James' Hospital, Portsmouth 
			 2004 Part of Lord Mayor Treloar, Alton 
			 2005 Part of Park Prewett, Basingstoke 
			  Part of Lord Mayor Treloar 
			  Part of Coldeast Hospital, Fareham 
			  Tatchbury Hospital, Calmore 
			  Part Hazel Farm, Southampton 
		
	
	It is the responsibility of local planning authorities to identify and release land for housing as part of the planning process. This means that the requirement for the provision of social housing will need to be negotiated and agreed with the local planning authority. The Government have implemented a number of initiatives to assist with land supply for housing. A register of surplus public sector land held by central Government bodies has been established. English Partnerships reviews the sites on the register to identify those which could have the potential for housing development. As at June 2007, there were over 700 sites on the register. Sites are continually being added as they are identified as surplus by landowners and removed once expressions of interest are received after a site has been marketed.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government and English Partnerships also maintain the national land use database of previously developed land (NLUD-PDL). This covers vacant and derelict land and also land in use with potential for development in public and private ownerships. Information on the sites is available from the NLUD website
	www.nlud.org.uk.
	In addition, English Partnerships is developing the National Brownfield Strategy which will provide a coherent vision for the future development of brownfield land to underpin national, regional and local development aspirations. The strategy will help our target for building new homes on brownfield land thereby reducing pressures on the greenbelt.

Departments: Legislation

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what legislative provisions introduced by his Department since 1997 have not yet been brought into force;
	(2)  what legislative provisions introduced by his Department since 1997 have been repealed.

Dawn Primarolo: Seven Acts of Parliament introduced by the Department since 1997 include some sections and schedules not yet brought into force:
	
		
			  Acts introduced by the Department of Health since 1997  Not yet in force 
			 National Health Service (Primary Care) Act 1997 (c.46) Section 26(2) 
			  Schedule 2 Part I paras 46 and 64(3) 
			  Schedule 3 Part II 
			   
			 Health Act 1999 (c.8) Section 61 
			   
			 Care Standards Act 2000 (c.14) Section 64(1)(a) and (3)-(5) 
			  Schedule 4 para 5(7)(b), 12, 14(10)(b), (22) and (29) 
			  Schedule 5 paras 1 and 2 
			   
			 Health and Social Care Act 2001 (c.15) Section 26(1) and (3) 
			  Section 55(7) 
			   
			 Community Care (Delayed Discharges etc.) Act 2003 (c.5) Section 14 
			   
			 Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 (c.43) Section 107 
			  Section 116(3) 
			  Schedule 14 part 6 
			   
			 Health Act 2006 (c.28) Section 36(2) 
		
	
	18 Acts of Parliament introduced by the Department since 1997 include some sections and schedules now repealed, details as follows. Many of these were repealed as a consequence of the National Health Service Act 2006 (c.41) which consolidated much of the previous health legislation.
	
		
			  Acts introduced by the Department of Health since 1997  Repealed 
			 National Health Service (Primary Care) Act 1997 (c.46) Sections 1-9 
			  Sections 11-20 
			  Section 21(1) 
			  Section 22(1) 
			  Section 23(1) and (2) 
			  Section 24(1) 
			  Section 25(1) 
			  Section 26(1) 
			  Section 27(1) 
			  Section 28(1) 
			  Section 29(1) 
			  Section 31(1) 
			  Section 32 
			  Section 33 
			  Section 34(1) 
			  Section 36 
			  Section 40(1) and (3) 
			  Schedule 1 
			  Schedule 2 paras 3-31, 65, 69(1)-81 
			 National Health Service (Private Finance) Act 1997 (c.56) Section 1 
			   
			 Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1997 (c.24) Whole Act repealed by Health Act 1999 
			   
			 Pharmacists (Fitness to Practise) Act 1997 (c.19) Whole Act repealed 
			   
			 Community Care (Residential Accommodation) Act 1998 (c.19) Section 1(1) 
			  Section 3(2)(1) 
			   
			 Health Act 1999 (c.8) Sections 2-12 
			  Section 13(l)-(4) and (6)-(11) 
			  Section 14 
			  Section 15 
			  Sections 17-42 
			  Section 62(2), (3), (5) and (8) 
			  Section 66(6) 
			  Section 68(l)(a) and (4) 
			  Schedule 1 
			  Schedule 2 
			  Schedule 2A 
			  Schedule 3 paras 2(2), 8(3) and 11(3) 
			  Schedule 4 paras 2, 4-32, 33(1), 34-41, 70(1), 71, 75, 76-79, 81, 83, 84, 85(2)(b), 87, 88(1) and 89 
			   
			 Road Traffic NHS Charges Act 1999 (c.3) Whole Act repealed 
			   
			 Care Standards Act 2000 (c.14) Section 6 
			  Section 7 
			  Section 9 
			  Section 10(1) 
			  Section 22(8)(a)(1) 
			  Section 32(8) 
			  Section 44 
			  Section 45 
			  Section 46 
			  Section 47 
			  Section 49(2) 
			  Section 51 
			  Section 80(1) 
			  Sections 81-89(1) 
			  Section 89(4C)(d) 
			  Section 90 
			  Section 91-99(1) 
			  Section 100 
			  Section 101(1) 
			  Section 102 
			  Section 104 
			  Schedule 1 paras 9-11, 15, 17, 27(a), 27(c) and 27(d) 
			  Schedule 2 para 6(5) 
			  Schedule 2A paras 4, 18, 21, 22, 24 
			  Schedule 4 paras 2, 5, 6(1), 7, 8(1), 13, 14(4)-(6), 16(1), 24, 25, 25(2)(a)(1), 26(2) and (4)(1), 27(b) 
			   
			 Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 (c.16) Section 5 
			  Section 9(a) 
			   
			 Health Service Commissioners (Amendment) Act 2000 (c.28) Sections l(2)(b), (3)(c) and (d) 
			   
			 Health and Social Care Act 2001 (c.15) Sections 1-4 
			  Section 6 
			  Section 7(2)-(5) 
			  Sections 8-13 
			  Section 14(1) and (3) 
			  Sections 15-25 
			  Section 26(1) 
			  Sections 27-38 
			  Sections 40-43 
			  Sections 45-48 
			  Section 60 
			  Section 61 
			  Section 64(3) 
			  Section 68(2) and (3) 
			  Schedules 1-4 
			  Schedule 5 paras 5, 8, 11 and 12 
			   
			 National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002 (c.17) Section 1 
			  Section 2(1)-(4) 
			  Section 3 
			  Section 4(1) and (2) 
			  Sections 5-18 
			  Section 19(l)-(5) 
			  Section 20 
			  Section 21 
			  Section 22(1)-(3), (4), (8) and (9) 
			  Section 23 
			  Section 24 
			  Section 35(1) 
			  Section 36 
			  Section 42(7) 
			  Schedule 1 paras 1-35, 37, 40-43, 46, 19-53, 55 
			  Schedule 2 paras 1-10, 11(1), 12-37, 54, 55, 58, 64, 67-69, 72-82 
			  Schedule 3 paras 1-11, 14-17 
			  Schedule 4 
			  Schedule 4 paras 4-20, 21(1), 22-24, 31-33, 36, 38, 43, 44, 45 and 49-51 
			  Schedule 6 paras 1-15 
			  Schedule 7 para 5 
			  Schedule 8 paras 1-12, 18, 23-37 
			   
			 Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 (c.36) Section 12(4) 
			   
			 Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 (c.43) Sections 1-32 
			  Section 33(2) 
			  Sections 35-40 
			  Section 76(2)(f), (g) 
			  Section 77(3) 
			  Section 79(7) 
			  Section 80(5) 
			  Section 110 
			  Section 112 
			  Section 116(1) 
			  Sections 170-172 
			  Section 174 
			  Section 175 
			  Sections 177-183 
			  Section 187(1)-(7), (9), (10) 
			  Section 188 
			  Section 189(l)-(3) and (4)(1) 
			  Section 191 
			  Section 192 
			  Schedule 1 
			  Schedule 2 paras 23-45, 83-85, 108, 109, 115-118, 123 and 124 
			  Schedule 5 
			  Schedule 6 para 3(2), (3), (9), (10), (14) and (15) 
			  Schedule 7 para 3(2), (6)-(8) 
			  Schedule 9 paras 9, 10, 14(1), 18(2), 26, 27(1), 32 
			  Schedule 11 paras 7-32, 33(1), 35-45, 61(b), 62(3) and 69-74 
			  Schedule 12 paras 1, 2(3), 3(2) and (4) and 4-8 
			  Schedule 13 paras 4, 6(a) and (b) 
			   
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Deceased Fathers) Act 2003 (c.24) Section 2(2) and (3) 
			  Schedule para 11(1) 
			   
			 Health Protection Agency Act 2004 (c.17) Schedule 1 para 2 
			  Schedule 3 para 11 
			   
			 Health Act 2006 (c.28) Section 34 
			  Section 35 
			  Section 36(1) 
			  Sections 37-42 
			  Sections 44-56 
			  Section 74 
			  Section 78(3) 
			  Schedule 3 
			  Schedule 8 paras 6, 7-11, 12(a) and (b), 13(1)-(6), 14-20, 21(a), 21(b), 22-25, 29, 34, 36, 44(5), 46-50, 51 and 54 
			   
			 National Health Service Act 2006 (c.41) Section 132(9) 
			 (1) As from a day to be appointed.

Departments: Legislation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years contained sunset clauses; and what plans he has for the future use of such clauses;
	(2)  which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years did not contain sunset clauses; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has not introduced any Bills containing sunset clauses in the last five years. The Department has no current plans for the future use of such clauses, but their use may be considered where appropriate.
	None of the Bills introduced by the Department in the last five years have contained sunset clauses.

Departments: Members

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings that  (a) he and  (b) each of his Ministers has held with hon. Members in the last 12 months; and what was discussed in each case.

Dawn Primarolo: A comprehensive list of all meetings that Ministers have held with hon. Members in the last 12 months could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Postal Services

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what volume of correspondence his Department sent  (a) by Royal Mail and  (b) by other commercial delivery services in each of the last five years; and what the reasons were for the use of other commercial delivery services.

Ivan Lewis: Figures for the period 2004-07 are as follows.
	
		
			  Delivery services  
			  2004-05  
			 Royal Mail volume 306,700 letters 
			 Commercial carriers 88,000 letters/packets 
			  2005-06  
			 Royal Mail volume 634,627 letters 
			 Commercial carriers 90,324 letters/packets 
			  2006-07  
			 Royal Mail volume 359,600 letters 
			 Commercial carriers 91,364 letters/packets 
		
	
	Figures for before 2004 can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.
	Where there is a particular requirement to deliver items in a set or urgent timeframe the Department will use commercial carriers for both national and international delivery including items that require signature.

Departments: Public Bodies

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2007,  Official Report, columns 1630-4W, for what reason a recurrent budget for 2007-08 is given for the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

Ivan Lewis: These are the residual costs from the funding of the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, an arm's length body which closed in March 2002.

Departments: Public Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1385W, to the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois), on Departments: public expenditure, how many such regular discussions have been held in the last 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: Ministers and officials regularly discuss a wide range of issues with their counterparts in the Treasury. As was the case in previous Administrations, it is not the practice of the Government to provide details of all such meetings.

Diabetes: Greater London

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people participated in the  (a) dose adjustment for normal eating and  (b) diabetes education and self-management for ongoing and newly diagnosed courses in London in each of the last five years, broken down by primary care trust.

Ann Keen: This information requested is not held centrally. It is for primary care trusts to decide what services to provide for their local communities.

Diabetes: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were diagnosed with diabetes in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: This information is not available in the format requested.
	However, the following table shows the number of patients aged over 17 years with a record of a diagnosis of diabetes for the years 2004-05 and 2005-06. Data for 2006-07 will be published in September.
	Patients aged less than 17 are considered to be cared for by hospital specialists and are not included in these numbers. Any increases in the number of patients from year-to-year cannot be assumed to represent an increase in the number of patients with diabetes, as it may reflect improved levels of recording by the practices.
	
		
			  Total list size and register counts for people with diabetes in the London primary care trust (PCT) for 2004-05 and 2005-06 
			  SHA code  Strategic health authority name  PCT code  PCT name  Total list size  Diabetes register count 
			  2004-05  
			 Q04 North West London 5AT Hillingdon 261,750 9,154 
			   5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham 190,019 4,961 
			   5HX Ealing 362,673 14,409 
			   5HY Hounslow 251,041 9,180 
			   5K5 Brent 349,145 15,236 
			   5K6 Harrow 227,927 10,233 
			   5LA Kensington and Chelsea 183,296 4,117 
			   5LC Westminster 244,188 6,211 
			 Q05 North Central London 5A9 Barnet 371,545 12,178 
			   5C1 Enfield 282,866 9,708 
			   5C9 Haringey 278,025 8,989 
			   5K7 Camden 245,115 5,691 
			   5K8 Islington 222,342 6,049 
			 Q06 North East London 5A4 Havering 247,003 8,306 
			   5C2 Barking and Dagenham 172,748 6,122 
			   5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 265,498 8,644 
			   5C4 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Team 225,668 9,402 
			   5C5 Newham Primary Care Team 310,022 13,805 
			   5NA Redbridge 242,958 10,133 
			   5NC Waltham Forest 250,877 10,076 
			 Q07 South East London 5A7 Bromley 315,982 9,244 
			   5A8 Greenwich 258,432 7,443 
			   5LD Lambeth 344,588 9,875 
			   5LE Southwark 280,231 8,759 
			   5LF Lewisham 278,990 9,347 
			   TAK Bexley Care Trust 221,611 7,589 
			 Q08 South West London 5A5 Kingston 178,948 5,109 
			   5K9 Croydon 359,874 13,052 
			   5LG Wandsworth 311,003 8,856 
			   5M6 Richmond and Twickenham 198,448 4,235 
			   5M7 Sutton and Merton 389,319 12,414 
			   
			  2005-06  
			 Q04 North West London 5AT Hillingdon 262,572 9,701 
			   5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham 189,293 5,236 
			   5HX Ealing 368,598 15,418 
			   5HY Hounslow 251,943 9,794 
			   5K5 Brent 342,752 15,928 
			   5K6 Harrow 229,704 10,846 
			   5LA Kensington and Chelsea 184,295 4,436 
			   5LC Westminster 244,899 6,446 
			 Q05 North Central London 5A9 Barnet 373,036 12,915 
			   5CI Enfield 284,985 10,588 
			   5C9 Haringey 241,664 8,468 
			   5K7 Camden 237,437 5,893 
			   5K8 Islington 223,519 6,494 
			 Q06 North East London 5A4 Havering 247,642 8,924 
			   5C2 Barking and Dagenham 176,497 6,546 
			   5C3 City and Hackney Primary Care Team 260,413 8,676 
			   5C4 Tower Hamlets Primary Care Team 223,888 9,812 
			   5C5 Newham Primary Care Team 309,762 14,596 
			   5NA Redbridge 254,138 11,802 
			   5NC Waltham Forest 265,150 10,706 
			 Q07 South East London 5A7 Bromley 317,407 10,084 
			   5A8 Greenwich 262,226 8,072 
			   5LD Lambeth 339,304 10,179 
			   5LE Southwark 288,878 9,294 
			   5LF Lewisham 283,095 10,161 
			   TAK Bexley Care Trust 222,587 8,240 
			 Q08 South West London 5A5 Kingston 180,952 5,478 
			   5K9 Croydon 363,708 13,915 
			   5LG Wandsworth 322,855 9,410 
			   5M6 Richmond and Twickenham 191,245 4,413 
			   5M7 Sutton and Merton 396,922 13,406

Dietary Supplements: Channel Islands

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 10 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1448W, on dietary supplements: Channel Islands, 
	(1)  what meetings are planned between the Food Standards Agency and the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey to discuss implementation of the food supplements directive and the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation in the Channel Islands;
	(2)  whether the Food Standards Agency plans to raise at future meetings with the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey the implementation of the food supplements directive and the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation.

Ivan Lewis: The Food Standards Agency does not have any meetings planned to date with the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey to discuss implementation of the food supplements directive and the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation in the Channel Islands.
	The Food Standards Agency is writing to the Bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey, regarding the implementation of the food supplements directive and the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation.

Doctors: Private Sector

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effects of independent sector treatment centres on the availability of junior doctor training posts.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has made no such assessment. Training schedules for national health service staff in independent sector treatment centres (ISTCs) are agreed locally, subject to the meeting of accreditation standards. The number of junior doctor training posts available is based on local service requirements and future workforce planning needs in discussions with strategic health authorities, deaneries and trusts. When training is attached to activity, which is transferred from the NHS to a Wave 1 ISTC, junior doctors will complete the training in the ISTC.
	All ISTCs in Wave 2 are required to provide training in up to 35 per cent. of clinical services that they provide for the NHS. This includes not only medical training, but also other clinical training such as nurse or Allied Health Professional training.

Doctors: Training

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information her Department provided to HM Treasury on the Medical Training Application Service prior to its introduction.

Ann Keen: The Medical Training Application Service project was subject to the normal business approvals process. MTAS costs fell within delegated departmental approval limits so no specific information was supplied to HM Treasury.

Doctors: Training

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which consultancy is involved in the processing of applications and appointments for hospital doctors' training posts in the London Kent Survey and Sussex Unit of Application; when it was appointed; what the process of appointment was; and what the estimated cost of the work is.

Ann Keen: The management of the application process locally is a matter for the deanery concerned.

Drugs: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on tackling  (a) drug and  (b) alcohol dependency in each London borough in each of the last 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: Since 2001, the Department and the Home Office have provided for drug treatment in the form of the pooled drug treatment budget (PTB). This funding is allocated to the 149 drug action teams across the country to use, along with local mainstream funding, to provide for treatment and services according to the specific needs of each locality. We do not have information on drug treatment spend prior to 2001.
	It is for primary care trusts to determine the level of expenditure on alcohol services within their area in line with local priorities. Information is not collected centrally on local spend; however the Alcohol Needs Assessment Research Project found that around £217 million was being spend on alcohol services during 2003-04. Funds from the PTB may be spent on alcohol services provided that adequate progress is being made on drugs priorities.
	PTB allocations since 2001 for each London borough is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   PTB channelled through PCT (£000)   PTB channelled through PCT (£000) 
			  DAT  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07   2007-08 
			 Barking and Dagenham 777 1,019 1,149 1,430 1,849 0.004808568 1,945 
			 Barnet 955 1,205 1,309 1,576 2,030 0.005277353 2,210 
			 Bexley 600 759 827 997 1,287 0.003345418 1,349 
			 Brent 1,417 1,909 2,201 2,795 3,605 0.009372441 3,703 
			 Bromley 716 901 978 1,175 1,510 0.003926924 1,728 
			 Camden 2,017 2,466 2,599 3,033 3,914 0.010177088 4,401 
			 City of London 14 23 31 44 58 0.000150157 69 
			 Croydon 1,212 1,565 1,738 2,135 2,753 0.007156912 2,995 
			 Ealing 1,794 2,135 2,188 2,480 3,195 0.008306342 3,622 
			 Enfield 1,093 1,458 1,669 2,104 2,704 0.007030149 2,738 
			 Greenwich 1,449 1,867 2,070 2,538 3,261 0.008479293 3,373 
			 Hackney 2,112 2,749 3,077 3,806 4,920 0.012793309 5,197 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,340 1,616 1,679 1,931 2,500 0.006499001 2,955 
			 Haringey 1,547 2,096 2,430 3,099 3,988 0.010369877 4,167 
			 Harrow 542 689 754 914 1,185 0.003080281 1,365 
			 Havering 566 711 770 924 1,192 0.003099463 1,280 
			 Hillingdon 888 1,038 1,043 1,157 1,494 0.003883626 1,656 
			 Hounslow 861 1,041 1,084 1,250 1,612 0.00419139 1,928 
			 Islington 2,451 2,950 3,059 3,511 4,507 0.011718636 4,900 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,817 1,999 1,999 2,099 2,699 0.007017021 2,973 
			 Kingston upon Thames 658 725 725 761 977 0.002541271 1,092 
			 Lambeth 2,439 3,266 3,748 4,739 6,083 0.015816438 6,425 
			 Lewisham 2,023 2,586 2,847 3,468 4,469 0.011620522 4,604 
			 Merton 804 949 964 1,081 1,389 0.003611393 1,567 
			 Newham 2,164 2,984 3,509 4,529 5,801 0.015082032 5,835 
			 Redbridge 678 929 1,087 1,398 1,798 0.004673789 1,933 
			 Richmond upon Thames 687 756 756 793 1,021 0.002653966 1,233 
			 Southwark 2,274 3,052 3,510 4,446 5,739 0.014920786 6,082 
			 Sutton 568 662 664 733 940 0.002444265 1,143 
			 Tower Hamlets 1,988 2,731 3,202 4,124 5,272 0.013709008 5,632 
			 Waltham Forest 958 1,357 1,630 2,141 2,733 0.007104891 2,976 
			 Wandsworth 1,663 2,000 2,073 2,378 3,063 0.007965414 3,383 
			 Westminster 2,729 3,002 3,002 3,152 4,042  4,367 
			 London total 43,801 55,195 60,371 72,741 93,590 0.010508613 100,826

Environment Protection: Dartmoor National Park

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Minister for the South West will make an early visit to the Holne Common in Dartmoor National Park to see the results of the Environmental Agency's action under its obligation under the Environmentally Sensitive Agreement 1999.

Ben Bradshaw: I am aware of the work undertaken by the Environmental Agency and others on Dartmoor. Owing to current diary pressures I am currently not able to accept the hon. Member's kind invitation, but if he has particular concerns I would welcome his raising them with me in writing.

Eyesight: Testing

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners in York have had free eye tests since they were reintroduced.

Ann Keen: The information is not centrally available in the format requested.
	Data on the number of people aged 60 and over who have had a free national health service eye tests are collected at primary care trust (PCT) level, rather than by geographical area. Data for the former North Yorkshire health authority and York and Selby PCT are shown in the table.
	
		
			  Number of people aged 60 and over who have had NHS eye tests in North Yorkshire health authority and York and Selby PCT 
			  Financial year  North Yorkshire HA  York and Selby PCT 
			 1999-2000 52,072 — 
			 2000-01 61,787 — 
			 2001-02 68,855 — 
			 2002-03 70,278 — 
			 2003-04 — 26,254 
			 2004-05 — 26,619 
			 2005-06 — 25,057 
			 April to September 2006(1) — 12,956 
			 (1) Total shown is for the period April to September 2006 only. October to March 2007 figures are due to be published on 31 July.  Source:  The Information Centre for health and social care.

Gender Identity Disorder

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2007,  Official Report, column 362W, on gender identity disorder, how many  (a) men and  (b) women from Wales received gender reassignment surgery to treat gender dysphoria from the national health service in England in each of the last 10 years.

Ivan Lewis: Owing to the small number of treatment episodes involved and the need to protect patient confidentiality, the Department cannot disclose this information.

General Practitioners

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis was for the statement by the right hon. Member for Leigh (Andy Burnham) of 26 June 2007,  Official Report, column 160, on GP out-of-hours services, that the GP out-of-hours service was close to collapse in 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: It was clear from the rising number of complaints to the Health Service Commissioner that the previous model of provision by general practitioners (GPs) was not meeting patients' expectations and was not sustainable.
	In addition, the responsibility for out-of-hours care was affecting the ability to recruit and retain GPs.

General Practitioners: Passports

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has received reports of GPs levying a charge to countersign passports for patients; and whether his Department issues guidelines to GPs who charge fees to authenticate patients' passports for renewal applications.

Ben Bradshaw: The countersigning of passports is not part of the work that primary medical services contractors are required to do as part of their contractual arrangements with the Primary Care Trust. Should a general practitioner countersign an application it is a private matter between the doctor and the applicant. General practitioners may make a charge for this service should they wish.
	The Department does not issue guidelines on this matter.

Health Professions: Qualifications

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether private-sector NHS contractors are required to ask for the same level of qualifications when recruiting staff as primary care trusts.

Ben Bradshaw: The qualification requirements for the employment of clinical staff in Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ISTCs) are the same as those in the national health service. Surgeons must be registered with the General Medical Council and be on the specialist register in the specialty in which they are trained.
	While both the NHS and ISTCs require the same level of qualifications for clinical staff, the process in which they are appointed differs.
	All health practitioners employed in ISTCs are required to be registered with the relevant professional body, and providers are required to ensure that there is a programme of continuing professional development.

Health Professions: Regulation

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of those attending her Department's Call for Ideas event on medical and non-medical professional regulation in autumn 2005 were  (a) from healthcare professional regulatory bodies,  (b) lay members of healthcare professional regulatory bodies,  (c) from public and patient representative organisations,  (d) members of the public,  (e) health officials,  (f) from other health and social care regulators and  (g) others.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department issued two Calls for Ideas in 2005. One was the Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) "Call for Ideas" on the review of medical regulation and the other was by Andrew Foster, the then Director of Workforce, on the review of non-medical professional regulation. Neither of these were held as actual events. The CMO's was published on the Department's website, while Andrew Foster wrote to a range of stakeholders to seek their views. This included members of the non-medical review reference group, which met twice during the course of the review, in July and November 2005. The make-up of the group is as follows.
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 Healthcare professional regulatory bodies 25 
			 Lay members of healthcare professional regulatory bodies 6 (which is included in the above) 
			 Public and patient representative organisations and members of the public 4.5 
			 Health officials 14 
			 Other health and social care regulators 3.5 
			 Others 53

Health Professions: Regulation

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements she expects to make for  (a) periods of pre-legislative consultation and  (b) provision of information and technical support to consultees on (i) forthcoming primary legislation on professional healthcare regulation and (ii) Orders in Council under section 60 of the Health Act 1999.

Ben Bradshaw: There has been extensive consultation leading up to the publication of the White Paper in February. The White Paper anticipated the need for new legislation on a number of issues. Some may require primary legislation but other changes can be made under section 60 of the Health Act 1999. The procedures for the latter require that a draft order is published and consulted upon at least three months before the amended order is laid before Parliament. Other matters requiring legislation will be considered by the stakeholder working groups which will be advising on implementation of the White Paper. We will be publishing their terms of reference and membership shortly.

Health Professions: Training

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what analysis his Department has carried out on the reasons for the fall in the number of pre-registration training commissions from 2004-05 to 2005-06.

Ann Keen: The numbers of pre-registration training commissions for most professions actually increased between 2004-05 and 2005-06 with the exception of nursing where numbers fell by about 1 per cent.
	Workforce planning for the health service is challenging and complex and workforce needs are difficult to predict as technological advances and social changes lead to some skills becoming redundant while demand for others will suddenly increase.

Health Professions: York Hospitals NHS Trust

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time equivalent  (a) medical consultants,  (b) other medical staff,  (c) nurses,  (d) other professional staff,  (e) administrative and clerical staff and  (f) auxiliary staff were employed by York NHS Trust in all areas, excluding those transferred to Selby and York Primary Care Trust, in each year since 1996-97.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): Medical and dental staff and non-medical staff( 1)  withi n York Hospitals NHS Trust. Full- time equivalents at 30 September each year 
			   1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 All HCHS staff 3,596 3,660 3,504 3,517 3,732 3,224 2,842 3,111 3,247 3,302 3,519 
			 All medical and dental staff 215 261 274 283 281 258 237 294 320 344 370 
			 Medical and dental consultants 72 102 98 110 109 120 113 119 131 149 155 
			 Other medical and dental staff 143 159 176 172 171 138 124 174 189 195 215 
			 All non-medical staff(1) 3,381 3,399 3,230 3,234 3,451 2,967 2,605 2,817 2,927 2,958 3,149 
			 Qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff 1,310 1,362 1,235 1,268 1,375 1,132 915 948 990 1,023 1,111 
			 Clerical and administrative 552 535 532 547 571 571 565 604 644 666 795 
			 Nursing assistant/auxiliary 422 397 357 314 337 185 99 96 89 55 49 
			 Others 1,098 1,106 1,106 1,105 1,168 1,078 1,027 1,170 1,204 1,215 1,194 
			 (1) More accurate validation processes in 2006 have resulted in the identification and removal of 9,858 duplicate non-medical staff records out of the total work force figure of 1.3 million in 2006. Earlier years' figures could not be accurately validated in this way and so will be slightly inflated. The level of inflation in earlier years' figures is estimated to be less than 1 per cent. of total across all non-medical staff groups for headcount figures (and negligible for full time equivalents). This should be taken into consideration when analysing trends over time.  Sources: Information Centre for health and social care Non-Medical Workforce Census. The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

Health Services

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answers of 5 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 1148-49W, on health services, what provision there is for public and patient members of the working groups on the White Paper to discuss issues distinct to the administration of health bodies in England.

Ben Bradshaw: The working groups have been formed to perform an advisory role in the implementation of the White Paper "Trust, assurance and safety". This includes those elements of the White Paper relating to the administration of local health bodies in England such as primary care trust and national health service trusts.

Health Services: Finance

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps have been taken to allocate the £1 billion funding proposed in the Public Health White Paper between  (a) health trainers,  (b) sexual health services,  (c) school nurses and  (d) other services; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much was allocated to each primary care trust for implementing the targets in the White Paper "Choosing Health"; and whether any of this funding was ring-fenced;
	(3)  what progress primary care trusts are making in delivering outcomes described in the White Paper "Choosing Health"; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) were notified of their revenue allocations for 2006-07 and 2007-08 in February 2005. The allocations separately identify funding to support the initiatives set out in the White Paper "Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier", a copy of which is available in the Library.
	There had been a move away from ring-fencing allocations to PCTs as it is for PCTs to determine how best to use the funds allocated to them to commission services to meet the needs of their local population.
	The funding allocated to each PCT for implementing the targets in the White Paper "Choosing Health", for the years 2006-07 and 2007-08 is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  £000 
			   "Choosing Health" White Paper funding 
			  PCT name  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 2,167 2,611 
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 1,303 1,570 
			 Barnet PCT 1,024 2,032 
			 Barnsley PCT 1,726 2,081 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 356 707 
			 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 533 1,056 
			 Bedfordshire PCT 834 2,006 
			 Berkshire East PCT 778 1,857 
			 Berkshire West PCT 1,248 2,474 
			 Bexley Care Trust 669 1,327 
			 Birmingham East and North PCT 2,498 3,098 
			 Blackburn with Darwen PCT 1,110 1,337 
			 Blackpool PCT 1,096 1,320 
			 Bolton PCT 1,870 2,254 
			 Bournemouth and Poole PCT 1,082 2,142 
			 Bradford and Airedale PCT 3,398 4,096 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 712 1,696 
			 Brighton and Hove City PCT 643 1,535 
			 Bristol PCT 1,351 2,675 
			 Bromley PCT 930 1,846 
			 Buckinghamshire PCT 1,371 2,718 
			 Bury PCT 1,196 1,440 
			 Calderdale PCT 641 1,269 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 1,630 3,239 
			 Camden PCT 631 1,516 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 946 2,266 
			 Central Lancashire PCT 1,866 3,034 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 2,030 2,447 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 1,228 2,948 
			 County Durham PCT 3,193 3,960 
			 Coventry Teaching PCT 1,962 2,432 
			 Croydon PCT 1,072 2,125 
			 Cumbria PCT 2,822 3,753 
			 Darlington PCT 235 562 
			 Derby City PCT 886 1,757 
			 Derbyshire County PCT 2,751 4,621 
			 Devon PCT 2,285 4,543 
			 Doncaster PCT 2,113 2,546 
			 Dorset PCT 1,230 2,443 
			 Dudley PCT 978 1,937 
			 Ealing PCT 1,078 2,133 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 1,615 3,208 
			 East Lancashire PCT 2,625 3,162 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 646 1,553 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 749 1,794 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 1,804 4,197 
			 Enfield PCT 645 1,543 
			 Gateshead PCT 1,486 1,789 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 1,729 3,433 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 683 1,458 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 1,740 2,098 
			 Halton and St. Helens PCT 2,282 2,749 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 1,276 1,537 
			 Hampshire PCT 2,865 6,431 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 1,505 1,865 
			 Harrow PCT 434 1,037 
			 Hartlepool PCT 700 843 
			 Hastings and Rother PCT 629 1,249 
			 Havering PCT 787 1,560 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 1,890 2,345 
			 Herefordshire PCT 556 1,105 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 1,515 1,825 
			 Hillingdon PCT 767 1,522 
			 Hounslow PCT 737 1,459 
			 Hull PCT 1,615 2,000 
			 Isle of Wight NHS PCT 502 999 
			 Islington PCT 1,347 1,672 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 664 1,327 
			 Kingston PCT 477 947 
			 Kirklees PCT 1,249 2,475 
			 Knowsley PCT 1,318 1,587 
			 Lambeth PCT 1,812 2,246 
			 Leeds PCT 1,687 4,028 
			 Leicester City PCT 2,079 2,504 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 1,773 3,524 
			 Lewisham PCT 1,558 1,931 
			 Lincolnshire PCT 2,944 4,759 
			 Liverpool PCT 3,345 4,146 
			 Luton PCT 432 1,033 
			 Manchester PCT 3,988 4,805 
			 Medway PCT 834 1,661 
			 Mid Essex PCT 983 1,956 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 1,105 1,330 
			 Milton Keynes PCT 677 1,351 
			 Newcastle PCT 1,948 2,345 
			 Newham PCT 2,211 2,665 
			 Norfolk PCT 1,598 3,835 
			 North East Essex PCT 1,036 2,060 
			 North East Lincolnshire PCT 1,081 1,302 
			 North Lancashire PCT 1,522 2,340 
			 North Lincolnshire PCT 505 1,003 
			 North Somerset PCT 617 1,227 
			 North Staffordshire PCT 466 1,114 
			 North Tees PCT 1,235 1,489 
			 North Tyneside PCT 1,408 1,696 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 2,011 4,224 
			 Northamptonshire PCT 2,900 4,345 
			 Northumberland Care Trust 2,046 2,465 
			 Nottingham City PCT 1,741 2,158 
			 Nottinghamshire County PCT 1,714 3,691 
			 Oldham PCT 1,618 1,949 
			 Oxfordshire PCT 1,717 3,414 
			 Peterborough PCT 544 1,090 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 826 1,638 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 428 1,022 
			 Redbridge PCT 751 1,489 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 979 1,179 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 510 1,013 
			 Rotherham PCT 1,723 2,076 
			 Salford PCT 1,761 2,120 
			 Sandwell PCT 2,258 2,718 
			 Sefton PCT 817 1,790 
			 Sheffield PCT 1,272 3,035 
			 Shropshire County PCT 870 1,728 
			 Solihull Care Trust 439 1,049 
			 Somerset PCT 1,604 3,190 
			 South Birmingham PCT 2,057 2,551 
			 South East Essex PCT 747 1,790 
			 South Gloucestershire PCT 657 1,307 
			 South Staffordshire PCT 2,160 3,609 
			 South Tyneside PCT 1,173 1,413 
			 South West Essex PCT 1,276 2,536 
			 Southampton City PCT 787 1,560 
			 Southwark PCT 1,697 2,103 
			 Stockport PCT 901 1,783 
			 Stoke on Trent PCT 1,594 1,975 
			 Suffolk PCT 1,759 3,495 
			 Sunderland Teaching PCT 2,117 2,549 
			 Surrey PCT 3,032 6,011 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 1,131 2,244 
			 Swindon PCT 578 1,147 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 1,598 1,925 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 514 1,022 
			 Torbay Care Trust 509 1,012 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 1,925 2,321 
			 Trafford PCT 696 1,378 
			 Wakefield District PCT 2,350 2,833 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 1,780 2,144 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 824 1,631 
			 Wandsworth PCT 897 1,775 
			 Warrington PCT 1,221 1,471 
			 Warwickshire PCT 2,147 3,373 
			 West Essex PCT 802 1,592 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 1,579 3,130 
			 West Kent PCT 1,928 3,825 
			 West Sussex PCT 2,295 4,660 
			 Western Cheshire PCT 558 1,336 
			 Westminster PCT 832 1,665 
			 Wiltshire PCT 1,279 2,543 
			 Wirral PCT 2,007 2,490 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 1,769 2,130 
			 Worcestershire PCT 1,643 3,263 
			
			 England 210,500 341,500 
		
	
	A Choosing Health progress report was published earlier this year and is available at the Department's website at
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH074286
	It shows that we have made significant progress over a wide range of areas and have created drivers for change through better engagement across systems and organisations, better information and new tools and techniques to support individual action to improve health. Two years through this three-year programme, examples of progress include the following:
	Smokefree legislation was implemented on 1 July 2007
	80 per cent. of people are now seen within 48 hours at a GUM clinic compared to 38 per cent. in 2004.
	PCTs have played their part in these improvements in public health.

Health Services: Multiple Sclerosis

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of changes in inspection fees for charitable multiple sclerosis treatment centres.

Ben Bradshaw: Annual fees to cover the cost of providing assessment and registration services are approved by the Secretary of State, after consideration of proposals submitted by the Healthcare Commission (HC). Assessment of the effects of fees is therefore for the Commission in the first instance.
	The HC on its 2007-08 independent healthcare sector fee proposals between 20 December 2006 and 20 February 2007. We understand from the chairman of the commission that during the consultation period it received numerous representations from providers asking that fees should be reduced for voluntarily funded establishments.
	The HC revised its proposals after considering the comments it received. For 2007-08, annual fees for multiple sclerosis therapy centres have been reduced from £1,566 to £1,225, a reduction of 22 per cent. This is the first time that regulatory fees under the Care Standards Act 2000 have been reduced. Fees for first time registrations have increased from £907 to £990.

Health Services: Prisons

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the availability of primary care services to prison establishments during night periods; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Information on the coverage of health care in prisons is not collected centrally. It is for primary care trusts, working in partnership with prisons, to commission the arrangements for out of hours cover.
	Local prisons do usually contain 24-hour health facilities with nursing cover. For example, all prisons in London (with the exception of HMP Latchmere House) have healthcare beds with 24-hour nursing services available.
	Out-of-hours medical cover is usually provided by an on-call arrangement with local general practitioners as part of a General Medical Services contract.

Health Services: Public Appointments

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the competition for selection of the new chief executive of Connecting for Health will open; who will sit on the selection panel; what the starting salary for the post will be; and how bonuses for the post will be  (a) set,  (b) calculated and  (c) paid.

Ben Bradshaw: These matters have not been decided.

Health Services: South East Region

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that local primary care trusts are helped to engage with strategic planning organisations on long-term major regeneration programmes in  (a) the Thames Gateway,  (b) East London and  (c) the London borough of Newham.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department's London regional team and their London strategic health authority colleagues support the involvement of local national health service organisations in major regeneration initiatives within the Thames Gateway and East London areas, and the major developments in Newham for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
	London's primary care trusts (PCTs) jointly fund with the London Development Agency the Healthy Urban Development Unit, which offers practical help to all PCTs in London, including Newham PCT. The aim is to significantly improve the health of Londoners by developing partnerships that enable health organisations to engage early, influencing the plan- making process, and have a positive effect on the outcomes of planning applications.

Health Trainers

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the introduction of health trainers; and in which primary care trusts they have been employed.

Ann Keen: Progress on the introduction of health trainers to date has been good:
	as forecast and planned, 1,200 health trainers have been trained and are in post as of 2006-07 year end;
	competences have been signed off and exemplar job descriptions have been developed for tailoring by local health trainer partnerships;
	a national implementation team has been put in place and now provides full regional coverage;
	local training programmes have been developed and local evaluation has been put in place;
	national accreditation has been developed, with support from technical advisers Skills for Health, to provide City and Guilds Level 3 and Royal Institute for Public Health Level 2 awards;
	prisons have begun to introduce health trainers to the system, with around 80 health trainers now in place;
	the Army expects to have trained 450 physical training instructor as health trainers by December 2007, with plans for a further 2,000 personnel to receive training in 2008;
	Royal Mail plans to train some of their first aid staff as workplace health trainers;
	the programme is also working with organisations such as Asda, Marks & Spencer, National Pharmacies and Football Foundation, and;
	The Minister of State for Public Health (Dawn Primarolo) presented the first workplace Health Trainer certificate to Audrey Carlin, of T Allen Stockholder Ltd., on 3 July 2007.
	Health trainers are employed in a variety of settings and the plurality of employment models means that we do not collect data by individual primary care trust.

Health Trainers

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health trainers there are in  (a) Southampton primary care trust,  (b) Hampshire primary care trust and  (c) Portsmouth primary care trust.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has been informed by the following primary care trusts that
	Southampton primary care trust has 14 health trainers recruited and in training.
	Hampshire primary care trust has 12 health trainers recruited and in training.
	Portsmouth primary care trust has 11 health trainers recruited and in training.

Health: Disadvantaged

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in tackling health deprivation in the spearhead primary care trusts.

Dawn Primarolo: The 2010 inequalities targets for life expectancy, cardiovascular disease and cancer are based on narrowing the gap in mortality between the population as a whole and the fifth of local authority areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators (the spearhead group), and the primary care trusts that map to them, by 2010.
	Life expectancy has increased for both males and females for England as a whole but it has improved more slowly in the spearhead areas. In England, average life expectancy for males is 76.9 and for females 81.1; in the spearhead group it is 74.9 for males and 79.6 for females. The slower rate of improvement in has led to a widening of the relative gap in life expectancy between England and the spearhead group. The latest data for 2003-05 show that the average life expectancy in the spearhead group was 2.61 per cent. lower than the England average for males, and 1.91 per cent. lower than the England average for females. Therefore, the relative gap has widened by 2 per cent. for men and 8 per cent. for women since the baseline (1995-97).
	However, although the 2010 target for life expectancy is a challenging one, data for 2003-05 also show that some 60 per cent. of the 70 spearhead areas are on track to narrow their own life expectancy gap with that of England by 10 per cent. by 2010, compared to baseline for either males or females or both. The information is set out in the following table, with comparison data for 2002-04.
	Data for 2003-05 have also shown continued improvements in CVD and cancer mortality inequalities between spearhead areas and the national average since the 1995-97 baseline. The absolute gap from circulatory disease has narrowed by 27.9 per cent., and we are on track to meet the 2010 target of at least a 40 per cent. reduction, There has been a 12.7 per cent. reduction in the absolute cancer inequality gap.
	Targeted assistance to spearhead areas is being provided through a variety of programmes such as Communities for Health, Health Trainers, Life Check and smoking cessation as well as programmes on cancer, coronary heart disease and primary care.
	The following table shows whether the 70 spearhead local authorities are on or off track to narrow their share of the life expectancy gap by 10 per cent. for males or females or both by 2010 according to 2003-05 data. The table also shows a comparison to 2002-04.
	
		
			  Spearhead Group performance on life expectancy for males and females 2003-05 v. 2002-04 
			   2003-05  2002-04 
			   On track both  On track male  On track female  Off track both  On track both  On track male  On track female  Off track both 
			 Hackney Yes — — — Yes — — — 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham Yes — — — Yes — — — 
			 Southwark Yes — — — Yes — — — 
			 Tower Hamlets Yes — — — Yes — — — 
			 Tameside Yes — — — — — Yes — 
			 Warrington Yes — — — Yes — — — 
			 Derwentside Yes — — — Yes — — — 
			 Hyndburn Yes — — — Yes — — — 
			 Islington — Yes — — — — — Yes 
			 Lambeth — Yes — — Yes — — — 
			 Lewisham — Yes — — — Yes — — 
			 Newham — Yes — — — Yes — — 
			 Knowsley — Yes — — — Yes — — 
			 St. Helens — Yes — — Yes — — — 
			 Wirral — Yes — —  Yes — — 
			 Sunderland — Yes — — — — — Yes 
			 Halton — Yes — — — — — Yes 
			 Blackburn with Darwen — Yes — — — Yes — — 
			 Chester-le-Street — Yes — — — Yes — — 
			 Sedgefield — Yes — — — Yes — — 
			 Wear Valley — Yes — — — Yes — — 
			 Burnley — Yes — — — — — Yes 
			 Lincoln — Yes — — — Yes — — 
			 Wansbeck — Yes — — — Yes — — 
			 Tamworth — Yes — — — Yes — — 
			 Greenwich — — Yes — — — Yes — 
			 Haringey — — Yes — — — Yes — 
			 Bury — — Yes — — — Yes — 
			 Doncaster — — Yes — — — Yes — 
			 Gateshead — — Yes — — — Yes — 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne — — Yes — — — Yes — 
			 North Tyneside — — Yes — — — — Yes 
			 Birmingham — — Yes — — — Yes — 
			 Coventry — — Yes — Yes — — — 
			 Walsall — — Yes — — Yes — — 
			 Redcar and Cleveland — — Yes — — — Yes — 
			 Stockton-on-Tees — — Yes  Yes — — — 
			 Barrow-in-Furness — — Yes — — —  Yes 
			 Carlisle — — Yes — Yes — — — 
			 Corby — — Yes — — Yes — — 
			 Blyth Valley — — Yes — — — Yes — 
			 Nuneaton and Bedworth — — Yes — Yes — — — 
			 Barking and Dagenham — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Bolton — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Manchester — — — Yes — Yes — — 
			 Oldham — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Rochdale — — — Yes — — Yes — 
			 Salford — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Wigan — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Liverpool — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Barnsley — — — Yes — — Yes — 
			 Rotherham — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 South Tyneside — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Sandwell — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Wolverhampton — — — Yes — — Yes — 
			 Bradford — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Wakefield — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Hartlepool — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Middlesbrough — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Blackpool — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 North East Lincolnshire — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Leicester — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Nottingham — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Stoke-on-Trent — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Bolsover — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Easington — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Pendle — — — Yes — — — Yes 
			 Preston — — — Yes — Yes — — 
			 Rossendale — — — Yes — — Yes —

Health: Disadvantaged

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the progress towards the pledge to reduce health inequalities measured by infant mortality by 2010.

Dawn Primarolo: The most recent assessment of progress against the infant mortality aspect of the 2010 health inequalities target shows a slight narrowing of the health inequalities gap between the routine and manual group and the rest of the population for 2003-05, compared to 2002-04 and 2001-03. Infant mortality rates are at an all-time low for both groups. However, at 18 per cent. the gap is still wider than the 13 per cent. at the 1997-99 target baseline.
	A further update on the infant mortality gap will be available later this year in the 2007 edition of 'Tackling Health Inequalities: Status Report on the Programme for Action'.

Health: Nutrition

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to tackle  (a) overweight and obesity and  (b) underweight in the adult population.

Ivan Lewis: Present action to tackle obesity in adults includes the care pathways for national health service primary care professionals and a self-help guide, 'Your Weight, Your Health'; the National Heart Forum's toolkit 'Lightening the Load: tackling overweight and obesity'; work on foods high in salt, fat and sugar; front-of-pack labelling as an easy-to-understand way of helping individuals and families to make healthier food choices; the General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire; Local Exercise Action Pilots; and the National Step-0-Meter Programme.
	We will also continue to work closely with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to support dissemination and implementation of its guidance on physical activity public health intervention and on the prevention, identification, assessment and management of overweight and obesity in adults and children.
	Regarding steps to tackle underweight, Government advice is that people should consume a healthy balanced diet, which includes a wide variety of foods, is low in fat, and is based on plenty of fruit and vegetables and starchy foods such as potatoes, bread, and other cereals. The diet should contain moderate amounts of meat, fish, meat alternatives, milk and dairy products and sparing or infrequent amounts of foods containing fat/foods and drinks containing sugar. Eating a balanced diet in combination with physical activity should enable people to maintain a healthy weight.

Health: Nutrition

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the percentage of adults aged 16 years and over  (a) in England and  (b) in each primary care trust area who had a body mass index (i) in excess of 30 and (ii) of less than 18.5 in each year since 1997, broken down by age.

Ivan Lewis: The information is not available in the format requested. Data on prevalence of different body mass index (BMI) values among adults aged 16 and over are available from the health survey for England. Data on the percentage of men and women in England with a body BMI of over 30 and under 18.5 are presented in Table 1, copies of which have been placed in the Library. Data are shown for the years 1997 to 2005 and are broken down by age group and gender.

Hearing Impairment

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the average waiting time for a hearing test was in  (a) Surrey,  (b) Oxfordshire and  (c) England in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2000, (v) 2001, (vi) 2002, (vii) 2003, (viii) 2004, (ix) 2005 and (x) 2006;
	(2)  what the average time interval between receiving a hearing test and the fitting of a hearing aid was in  (a) Surrey,  (b) Oxfordshire and  (c) England in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2000, (v) 2001, (vi) 2002, (vii) 2003, (viii) 2004, (ix) 2005 and (x) 2006;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the procurement of audiology service pathways from the private sector; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the procedures for the referral of NHS patients to the independent sector for the fitting of hearing aids; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what assessment his Department has made of the fitting of hearing aids by the independent sector following the abolition of the Hearing Aid Council; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department does not collect data on waiting times for fitting of digital hearing aids. Since January 2006, the Department has been collecting data on the waiting times for audiology assessments. The latest figures, for May 2007, indicate that there are currently 1,322 people waiting over 13 weeks for assessments in Surrey and 13 people waiting over 13 weeks for assessments in Oxfordshire. In England as of May 2007, 73,381 people are waiting over 13 weeks for an assessment.
	A National Framework Contract Public Private Partnership with David Ormerod Hearing Centres and Ultravox Holdings plc was in place from October 2003 until March 2007. It was fundamental to the National Framework Contract that the quality of service, and hearing aid, that the patient received mirrored those of the local NHS audiology department. Quality assurance was key in the initiative. Both companies demonstrated their commitment to meeting these standards and invested resources in terms of equipment, IT and staff training in order to do so.
	Further independent sector capacity for audiology has been procured as part of the Phase 2 Diagnostics Procurement. Providers are subject to ongoing audit and must meet stringent key performance indicators through the delivery of the contract. Independent sector capacity is utilised at a local level alongside NHS capacity and is subject to the same standards and referral procedures.
	The Hearing Aid Council, which is responsible for standards of professional practice, remains in operation and is working towards transferring its regulatory functions to other bodies in advance of its abolition.

Henderson Hospital: Finance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget for Henderson hospital is in 2007-08; and what the proposed budget for the hospital is for 2008-09.

Ben Bradshaw: Revenue allocations are made directly to primary care trusts (PCTs), not national health service trusts or individual hospitals. NHS trusts receive most of their income through the commissioning arrangements they have with PCTs.
	We understand that the Henderson hospital is managed by South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust. We would advise the hon. Member to contact the chairman of the trust for information about the hospital budget. The contact details are:
	John Rafferty
	Chairman
	South West London and St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust
	Springfield University Hospital
	61 Glenburnie Road
	London
	SW17 7DJ
	Telephone: 020 8672 9911

Hip Replacements and Knee Replacements

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for  (a) hip replacements and  (b) knee replacements on the NHS was in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: Information on the median time waited for hip and knee replacement is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Median days waited for hip and knee replacements 2001-02 to 2005-06 
			   Hip replacements  Knee replacements 
			 2001-02 220 276 
			 2002-03 229 280 
			 2003-04 217 252 
			 2004-05 182 202 
			 2005-06 158 168 
			  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, The Information Centre for health and social care.

HIV Infection: Pregnancy

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of levels of transmission from mother to baby of HIV/AIDS in each of the last five years; in what proportion of cases transmission took place  (a) at birth and  (b) subsequent to birth; what treatments are available in each case; what assessment he has made of the merits of testing all pregnant women for HIV/AIDS at an early stage of their pregnancy; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Information on the number of babies born in the United Kingdom and confirmed infected with HIV from 2002 to 2006 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of babies born in the UK and confirmed infected with HIV, 2002-2006 
			  Year of birth  Maternal diagnosis before or at around time of delivery  Infected children born to undiagnosed women  Total infected 
			 2002 12 24 36 
			 2003 6 19 25 
			 2004 10 20 30 
			 2005 13 14 27 
			 2006 8 9 17 
			 Total 49 86 135 
			  Note: Data include reports received by end of June 2007 and are subject to reporting delay.  Source: National Study of HIV in Pregnancy and Childhood, Institute of Child Health, University College London 
		
	
	It is not possible to assess accurately what proportion of transmissions occurred prior to birth, at birth and after birth during this period. In utero transmission is uncommon, and most transmissions occur during labour and delivery, or through breastfeeding. Infant samples need to be taken within 48 hours of birth to make inferences about timing of transmission, and since the majority of infected infants were born to undiagnosed women, sufficient samples were not available.
	If the woman is diagnosed before or during pregnancy, she can be offered:
	antiretroviral therapy in pregnancy, at delivery, and for the infant after birth;
	appropriate management of delivery, e.g. planned caesarean section; and
	advice not to breastfeed.
	If the woman is diagnosed at or shortly after delivery, the infant can still be offered antiretroviral therapy starting as soon as possible after birth, and the woman can still be advised not to breastfeed, both of which will reduce the risk of transmission if the baby was not already infected in utero.
	Since the introduction of the routine recommendation of antenatal HIV testing in 2000, the majority of infected pregnant women have been diagnosed prior to delivery. In 2005, the latest year for which data are available, about 95 per cent. of infected pregnant women were diagnosed before delivery. During the 1990s, before antenatal testing was routine, the majority of infected women remained undiagnosed at delivery and therefore appropriate treatment and advice could not be offered.

Home Care Services: Oxygen

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints Ministers received about domiciliary oxygen services in each of the last 18 months.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of items of correspondence received by the Department from hon. Members and the public concerning the home oxygen service in the last 18 months is shown in the following table. Not all were letters of complaint but to identify these separately would incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Month  and year  Items of correspondence 
			  2006  
			 January 3 
			 February 61 
			 March 77 
			 April 32 
			 May 30 
			 June 20 
			 July 50 
			 August 36 
			 September 15 
			 October 11 
			 November 4 
			 December 1 
			   
			  2007  
			 January 9 
			 February 3 
			 March 13 
			 April 3 
			 May 1 
			 June 3 
			   
			 Total 372

Home Care Services: Oxygen

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on the domiciliary oxygen service in  (a) England,  (b) each strategic health authority and  (c) each health trust in the year preceding the introduction of the new domiciliary oxygen service.

Ben Bradshaw: Expenditure on the home oxygen service prior to the introduction of the new service was not collected centrally.

Home Care Services: Oxygen

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications of the changed arrangements for home oxygen therapy for  (a) waiting times,  (b) patient safety and  (c) emergency supply; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for managing the home oxygen service locally, including assessing how the new arrangements relate to waiting times, patient safety and emergency supply.
	PCTs have access, on the home oxygen website, to a clinical assessment services commissioning framework, which outlines how these services, together with the new home oxygen service, can help reduce waiting times while supporting patients in managing their symptoms at home.
	Under the terms of the contract, all suppliers are required to provide information and training on the safe and effective use of oxygen equipment provided to patients and their families. Suppliers also make clear to patients the dangers of using oxygen if they continue to smoke or use equipment close to fires or other naked flames. Suppliers are required to report any incident involving patient safety to PCTs. It is for PCTs to report all serious incidents and to take any appropriate follow-up action, whether reported by a supplier, health care professional or a patient, to strategic health authorities and the National Patient Safety Agency.
	From national service data provided by suppliers, I am able to confirm that all new suppliers are meeting the response time target 99 per cent. of the time for emergency supply. This is a priority service and, under the terms of the contract, all suppliers are required to supply oxygen at home within four hours of receiving an order for emergency supply.

Homeopathy

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what consultations were carried out with  (a) the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital,  (b) patient representatives and  (c) representatives of practising homoeopaths prior to the decision to change funding for the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital;
	(2)  what homoeopathic services will be available to the residents of Brent following changes in funding for treatment at the Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital.

Ben Bradshaw: This is a local matter. The homoeopathic hospitals in the United Kingdom fall under the jurisdiction of the national health service in the area in which they are based. Any decisions on the services that any of these hospitals provide are the responsibility of those NHS healthcare organisations.

Hospital Beds

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds there were per capita for  (a) acute medicine,  (b) general surgery,  (c) orthopaedics,  (d) maternity and  (e) paediatrics in each (i) strategic health authority and (ii) primary care trust in England in each of the last 10 years; and what projections he has made of bed numbers in future years.

Ann Keen: Provider data by strategic health authority are shown in the following tables. Commissioner data are not collected centrally.
	
		
			  Total: Beds per capita 
			   SHA  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA 0.00432 0.00419 0.00415 0.00416 0.00411 0.00404 0.00404 0.00391 0.00364 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA 0.00255 0.00244 0.00240 0.00271 0.00268 0.00280 0.00276 0.00281 0.00270 
			 Q03 Essex Strategic HA 0.00341 0.00343 0.00337 0.00329 0.00333 0.00326 0.00308 0.00311 0.00313 
			 Q04 North West London Strategic HA 0.00481 0.00483 0.00425 0.00411 0.00400 0.00395 0.00378 0.00383 0.00367 
			 Q05 North Central London Strategic HA 0.00575 0.00547 0.00508 0.00519 0.00493 0.00514 0.00503 0.00516 0.00504 
			 Q06 North East London Strategic HA 0.00504 0.00484 0.00441 0.00426 0.00417 0.00417 0.00409 0.00403 0.00386 
			 Q07 South East London Strategic HA 0.00433 0.00415 0.00404 0.00404 0.00401 0.00400 0.00407 0.00408 0.00394 
			 Q08 South West London Strategic HA 0.00373 0.00378 0.00400 0.00401 0.00394 0.00358 0.00382 0.00371 0.00357 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic HA 0.00556 0.00542 0.00535 0.00532 0.00531 0.00530 0.00526 0.00517 0.00508 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA 0.00466 0.00471 0.00466 0.00473 0.00463 0.00452 0.00454 0.00440 0.00431 
			 Q11 North & East Yorkshire & N Lincs SHA 0.00365 0.00348 0.00338 0.00335 0.00333 0.00338 0.00333 0.00328 0.00323 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire Strategic HA 0.00462 0.00449 0.00442 0.00442 0.00439 0.00425 0.00430 0.00388 0.00369 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic HA 0.00470 0.00450 0.00436 0.00431 0.00416 0.00410 0.00405 0.00390 0.00376 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester Strategic HA 0.00480 0.00466 0.00467 0.00451 0.00468 0.00442 0.00443 0.00428 0.00419 
			 Q15 Cheshire & Merseyside Strategic HA 0.00402 0.00405 0.00417 0.00427 0.00436 0.00430 0.00433 0.00430 0.00417 
			 Q16 Thames Valley Strategic HA 0.00313 0.00308 0.00301 0.00295 0.00275 0.00294 0.00298 0.00296 0.00289 
			 Q17 Hampshire And Isle of Wight Strategic HA 0.00349 0.00342 0.00336 0.00344 0.00332 0.00334 0.00332 0.00338 0.00311 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway Strategic HA 0.00347 0.00327 0.00329 0.00317 0.00310 0.00304 0.00308 0.00307 0.00289 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex Strategic HA 0.00385 0.00377 0.00354 0.00350 0.00358 0.00362 0.00360 0.00335 0.00321 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA 0.00433 0.00424 0.00414 0.00402 0.00402 0.00409 0.00393 0.00388 0.00388 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula Strategic HA 0.00429 0.00415 0.00411 0.00402 0.00378 0.00373 0.00390 0.00382 0.00370 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset Strategic HA 0.00432 0.00420 0.00416 0.00419 0.00422 0.00425 0.00417 0.00407 0.00395 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire Strategic HA 0.00465 0.00480 0.00473 0.00480 0.00488 0.00499 0.00493 0.00500 0.00492 
			 Q24 Trent Strategic HA 0.00382 0.00379 0.00382 0.00373 0.00359 0.00350 0.00366 0.00356 0.00342 
			 Q25 Leics, Northants and Rutland SHA 0.00345 0.00341 0.00339 0.00354 0.00343 0.00359 0.00358 0.00346 0.00335 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA 0.00364 0.00373 0.00369 0.00357 0.00352 0.00341 0.00344 0.00340 0.00325 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country SHA 0.00425 0.00428 0.00416 0.00423 0.00424 0.00426 0.00427 0.00420 0.00418 
			 Q28 West Midlands South Strategic HA 0.00351 0.00337 0.00338 0.00338 0.00335 0.00325 0.00314 0.00318 0.00314 
			  England 0.00413 0.00405 0.00396 0.00395 0.00390 0.00387 0.00387 0.00380 0.00368 
		
	
	
		
			  Acute:  Beds per capita 
			   SHA  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA 0.00215 0.00213 0.00212 0.00215 0.00213 0.00214 0.00219 0.00212 0.00198 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA 0.00099 0.00100 0.00100 0.00122 0.00128 0.00126 0.00129 0.00139 0.00127 
			 Q03 Essex Strategic HA 0.00148 0.00146 0.00147 0.00149 0.00147 0.00149 0.00153 0.00151 0.00152 
			 Q04 North West London Strategic HA 0.00259 0.00266 0.00240 0.00222 0.00219 0.00215 0.00215 0.00219 0.00207 
			 Q05 North Central London Strategic HA 0.00312 0.00299 0.00287 0.00281 0.00271 0.00268 0.00277 0.00269 0.00263 
			 Q06 North East London Strategic HA 0.00238 0.00233 0.00216 0.00222 0.00224 0.00225 0.00227 0.00221 0.00221 
			 Q07 South East London Strategic HA 0.00232 0.00226 0.00225 0.00227 0.00221 0.00210 0.00209 0.00205 0.00193 
			 Q08 South West London Strategic HA 0.00195 0.00193 0.00215 0.00214 0.00215 0.00203 0.00211 0.00217 0.00213 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic HA 0.00276 0.00276 0.00276 0.00274 0.00276 0.00274 0.00275 0.00273 0.00275 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA 0.00265 0.00262 0.00259 0.00259 0.00249 0.00241 0.00246 0.00239 0.00233 
			 Q11 North & East Yorkshire & N Lincs SHA 0.00202 0.00190 0.00189 0.00192 0.00191 0.00197 0.00196 0.00195 0.00194 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire Strategic HA 0.00249 0.00244 0.00242 0.00243 0.00238 0.00231 0.00229 0.00221 0.00216 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic HA 0.00242 0.00247 0.00239 0.00243 0.00232 0.00232 0.00230 0.00221 0.00220 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester Strategic HA 0.00283 0.00282 0.00282 0.00280 0.00283 0.00278 0.00282 0.00279 0.00271 
			 Q15 Cheshire & Merseyside Strategic HA 0.00251 0.00251 0.00260 0.00267 0.00269 0.00270 0.00271 0.00276 0.00267 
			 Q16 Thames Valley Strategic HA 0.00190 0.00186 0.00181 0.00165 0.00182 0.00185 0.00185 0.00185 0.00181 
			 Q17 Hampshire And Isle Of Wight Strategic HA 0.00187 0.00181 0.00178 0.00191 0.00192 0.00195 0.00200 0.00201 0.00184 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway Strategic HA 0.00167 0.00167 0.00169 0.00170 0.00162 0.00153 0.00155 0.00157 0.00154 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex Strategic HA 0.00188 0.00183 0.00170 0.00177 0.00184 0.00182 0.00192 0.00184 0.00181 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA 0.00232 0.00240 0.00240 0.00233 0.00234 0.00243 0.00244 0.00244 0.00258 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula Strategic HA 0.00243 0.00245 0.00248 0.00250 0.00261 0.00258 0.00261 0.00257 0.00251 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset Strategic HA 0.00221 0.00216 0.00216 0.00215 0.00214 0.00215 0.00223 0.00218 0.00215 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire Strategic HA 0.00278 0.00288 0.00281 0.00283 0.00293 0.00308 0.00297 0.00302 0.00305 
			 Q24 Trent Strategic HA 0.00212 0.00212 0.00217 0.00211 0.00202 0.00196 0.00194 0.00191 0.00186 
			 Q25 Leics, Northants and Rutland SHA 0.00191 0.00192 0.00196 0.00194 0.00191 0.00199 0.00195 0.00190 0.00194 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA 0.00177 0.00184 0.00183 0.00189 0.00190 0.00185 0.00185 0.00184 0.00179 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country SHA 0.00252 0.00255 0.00255 0.00259 0.00260 0.00266 0.00262 0.00269 0.00269 
			 Q28 West Midlands South Strategic HA 0.00199 0.00198 0.00200 0.00197 0.00206 0.00214 0.00205 0.00205 0.00204 
			  England 0.00222 0.00221 0.00219 0.00219 0.00219 0.00219 0.00220 0.00219 0.00214 
		
	
	
		
			  Maternity: Beds per capita 
			   SHA  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA 0.00020 0.00019 0.00019 0.00019 0.00018 0.00017 0.00015 0.00015 0.00014 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA 0.00016 0.00015 0.00015 0.00019 0.00018 0.00017 0.00017 0.00017 0.00018 
			 Q03 Essex Strategic HA 0.00022 0.00020 0.00020 0.00018 0.00018 0.00016 0.00016 0.00014 0.00015 
			 Q04 North West London Strategic HA 0.00030 0.00028 0.00028 0.00021 0.00021 0.00019 0.00018 0.00019 0.00018 
			 Q05 North Central London Strategic HA 0.00028 0.00028 0.00027 0.00025 0.00025 0.00021 0.00022 0.00022 0.00022 
			 Q06 North East London Strategic HA 0.00032 0.00031 0.00028 0.00024 0.00026 0.00023 0.00023 0.00023 0.00023 
			 Q07 South East London Strategic HA 0.00024 0.00023 0.00023 0.00023 0.00022 0.00022 0.00023 0.00021 0.00022 
			 Q08 South West London Strategic HA 0.00020 0.00020 0.00020 0.00021 0.00022 0.00020 0.00020 0.00019 0.00019 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Strategic HA 0.00025 0.00024 0.00021 0.00020 0.00018 0.00019 0.00018 0.00018 0.00018 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA 0.00028 0.00026 0.00024 0.00023 0.00021 0.00020 0.00019 0.00019 0.00019 
			 Q11 North & East Yorkshire & N Lincs SHA 0.00020 0.00019 0.00019 0.00019 0.00021 0.00018 0.00018 0.00018 0.00017 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire Strategic HA 0.00024 0.00024 0.00023 0.00021 0.00023 0.00022 0.00022 0.00020 0.00018 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic HA 0.00022 0.00021 0.00020 0.00020 0.00020 0.00019 0.00020 0.00020 0.00018 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester Strategic HA 0.00029 0.00026 0.00026 0.00025 0.00025 0.00024 0.00024 0.00022 0.00021 
			 Q15 Cheshire & Merseyside Strategic HA 0.00022 0.00020 0.00021 0.00019 0.00021 0.00020 0.00019 0.00019 0.00019 
			 Q16 Thames Valley Strategic HA 0.00020 0.00020 0.00020 0.00018 0.00017 0.00017 0.00017 0.00016 0.00017 
			 Q17 Hampshire And Isle Of Wight Strategic HA 0.00019 0.00020 0.00020 0.00020 0.00019 0.00018 0.00017 0.00018 0.00015 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway Strategic HA 0.00021 0.00019 0.00019 0.00019 0.00018 0.00016 0.00016 0.00014 0.00015 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex Strategic HA 0.00019 0.00019 0.00018 0.00017 0.00016 0.00016 0.00015 0.00015 0.00014 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA 0.00023 0.00021 0.00022 0.00022 0.00021 0.00021 0.00020 0.00020 0.00020 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula Strategic HA 0.00023 0.00023 0.00023 0.00021 0.00018 0.00018 0.00018 0.00017 0.00015 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset Strategic HA 0.00018 0.00016 0.00015 0.00015 0.00014 0.00014 0.00014 0.00014 0.00014 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire Strategic HA 0.00015 0.00017 0.00017 0.00015 0.00020 0.00019 0.00021 0.00021 0.00021 
			 Q24 Trent Strategic HA 0.00020 0.00018 0.00018 0.00018 0.00017 0.00017 0.00017 0.00017 0.00017 
			 Q25 Leics, Northants and Rutland SHA 0.00020 0.00019 0.00019 0.00018 0.00018 0.00017 0.00017 0.00017 0.00013 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA 0.00018 0.00018 0.00018 0.00017 0.00017 0.00017 0.00019 0.00018 0.00016 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country SHA 0.00022 0.00021 0.00022 0.00020 0.00021 0.00020 0.00021 0.00019 0.00019 
			 Q28 West Midlands South Strategic HA 0.00021 0.00020 0.00019 0.00020 0.00021 0.00019 0.00019 0.00018 0.00017 
			  England 0.00022 0.00021 0.00021 0.00020 0.00020 0.00019 0.00019 0.00018 0.00018 
			  Notes: 1. KH03 is a provider based collection so the data are not available at PCT level. 2. The data have been mapped to the 28 SHAs created 1 April 2002 to provide a timeseries comparison. 3. Population data are mid-year population estimates based on the 2001-1991 census 4. Beds totals include beds in wards open overnight, day only beds and residential care beds.  Source:  Department of Health form KH03 and ONS for population statistics.

Hospital Beds: Heart Diseases

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average number of occupied bed days was for patients admitted to hospitals with congestive heart failure in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information is in the following table and footnotes.
	
		
			  Mean and median bed days during the year for finished admissions episodes with a primary diagnosis of 150.0 Congestive Heart Failure for 2001-02 to 2005-06—NHS hospitals, England 
			   Mean  Median 
			 2005-06 7 3 
			 2004-05 7 3 
			 2003-04 8 3 
			 2002-03 9 4 
			 2001-02 10 5 
			  Notes: 1. ICD-10 Code: I50.0 Congestive Heart Failure 2. Bed Days During the Year Bed days within the year include only those days falling between 1 April and 31 March of the data year including unfinished episodes, unless otherwise stated. 3. Diagnosis (Primary Diagnosis) The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. 4. Data Quality HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 national health service trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. 5. Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. During the years that these records have been collected the NHS there have been ongoing improvements in quality and coverage. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time. 6.Ungrossed Data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed).  Source: HES, The Information Centre for health and social care

Hospitals: Doctors

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital trusts are not in compliance with the Royal College of Physicians' guidelines on consultants working at more than one hospital.

Ann Keen: holding answer 18 July 2007
	 The information requested is not collected centrally.

Hospitals: Food

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of hospital main meals were left untouched in  (a) England and  (b) each NHS provider organisation in each year from 2001-02 to 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Information on the number, and percentage, of hospital main meals left untouched in England is in the following table. Information relating to individual national health service providers has been placed in the Library. Data were not collected before 2001-02.
	
		
			  England  Total number untouched/unserved patient meals  Average percentage untouched/unserved patient meals 
			 2001-02 11,473,923 8.86 
			 2002-03 14,582,371 10.44 
			 2003-04 16,708,212 10.71 
			 2004-05 10,707,712 10.26 
			 2005-06 13,053,065 9.42 
		
	
	Food is left untouched or unserved for a variety of reasons, but generally a combination of sufficient food being provided in order to ensure patients have a choice and changing requirements, i.e. patients being discharged or moved, being absent for treatment or changing clinical status after the food orders have been made.
	Since 2004-05, the data provided have not been collected on a mandatory basis and therefore will not be complete.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies have contracted hospital- acquired infections in the last 12 months, broken down by health trust.

Ann Keen: The best available data are given as follows but will include both community and healthcare-acquired infections.
	 Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
	Information on age has only been collected under the mandatory surveillance scheme by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) since October 2005 and the latest data were published on 25 July 2007. The total number of cases of MRSA bloodstream infections in the 12 months from April 2006 to March 2007 in children aged under one year in England was 35.
	The small numbers involved mean that the information is not available by named trust as this could result in deductive disclosure.
	 Clostridium difficile
	Children under two years are not included in the mandatory surveillance scheme.
	The HPA's voluntary reporting scheme collects data on age and sex of cases. The scheme does not collect data on where infection was acquired (e.g. neonatal unit, or maternity unit). The following table shows the number of cases of  Clostridium difficile for children from birth to one in England, Wales and Northern Ireland for 2005. Data for 2006 are not available yet.
	
		
			  Age  2005 
			 Under 1 month 37 
			 1 to 5 months 42 
			 6 to 11 months 40 
		
	
	The aforementioned information is likely to be an underestimate as not all laboratories report. Furthermore, testing of children under two years of age may be limited owing to a general belief that the presence of  C. difficile is not usually clinically significant in this age group as asymptomatic carriage, including production of toxins A and B, is common in this age group.
	No other data on healthcare associated infections are available by age group.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2007,  Official Report, column 456W, on hospitals: infectious diseases, in how many hospitals the six deaths in 2005 took place.

Ann Keen: The six deaths from methicillin resistant  Staphylococcus aureus in persons aged under one, in 2005, occurred in five different hospitals.

Hospitals: Private Finance

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many hospitals were opened with private finance initiative funding since 1997, broken down by strategic health authority region;
	(2)  what the value of private finance initiative projects for which his Department is responsible was in each of the last five years, broken down by strategic health authority region;
	(3)  how many of the hospitals which have been opened through private finance initiative funding since 1997 have subsequently been closed, broken down by strategic health authority region.

Ben Bradshaw: The information for PFI schemes with capital value over £10 million is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			Capital value of PFI schemes opened or commenced construction in each of last five years 
			  Strategic health authority  PFI schemes operational since 1997  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  (to date)  Total 
			 East Midlands 1 312 19 354 0 29 714 
			 East of England 4 15 0 0 66 412 493 
			 London 19 224 0 443 1,541 33 2,241 
			 North East 9 205 16 299 32 24 576 
			 North West 4 0 512 0 478 0 990 
			 South Central 7 30 19 365 47 207 668 
			 South East Coast 4 29 0 0 0 36 65 
			 South West 6 0 42 0 107 21 170 
			 West Midlands 8 13 0 163 1,006 306 1,488 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 7 22 279 42 62 378 783 
			 Totals 69 850 887 1,666 3,339 1,446 8,188 
		
	
	There are no instances of a PFI facility built since 1997 for the national health service that has subsequently closed.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that clear guidance is given to primary care trusts on how girls can access human papilloma virus vaccines outside  (a) vaccination and  (b) catch-up programmes.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 19 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 633-34W.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation expects to provide a recommendation to Ministers on a potential human papilloma virus vaccination catch-up programme for girls beyond the age of 13, following its meeting in October 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: A detailed analysis is being carried out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) regarding the benefits and costs of introducing a human papilloma virus vaccine programme. This work is being externally peer reviewed to ensure its robustness. This review has not yet been completed and therefore JCVI will not be able to make its more detailed recommendation, including whether there will be a catch-up for older girls, until after its next meeting, on October 17.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which body will be completing the independent peer review of the cost benefit analysis for human papilloma virus vaccination; and when this review is due to be completed.

Dawn Primarolo: A detailed analysis is being carried out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) regarding the benefits and costs of introducing a human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine programme. This work is being externally peer reviewed by biologists working in the HPV field, mathematical modellers and economists in order to ensure its robustness.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he will involve primary care trusts and strategic health authorities in planning for implementation of a human papilloma virus vaccination programme in autumn 2008.

Dawn Primarolo: The introduction of a comprehensive nationwide human papilloma virus vaccine programme will be a considerable undertaking for the national health service and many practical issues need to be discussed with stakeholders, particularly from the NHS. The Department will work with stakeholders, including primary care trusts and strategic health authorities, to plan for the introduction of the vaccine.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 March 2007,  Official Report, column 130W, on influenza, whether he has considered the practicalities of giving short courses of antivirals as prophylaxis to members of the household of a person infected with pandemic influenza; what estimate he has made of the size of the antiviral stockpile necessary to do so; whether he plans to consider the possibility of using antivirals as prophylaxis in  (a) schools,  (b) healthcare settings and  (c) other institutions; when he expects to take a final decision regarding stockpiling additional antivirals for prophylactic purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Prophylaxis is being considered as part of the overall countermeasures strategy for pandemic influenza. No decisions have been made on the use of prophylaxis but the policy is being kept under review including the possible size of any stockpiles and the potential options for their use.

Influenza: Disease Control

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to  (a) businesses and  (b) other organisations outside the health and social care sectors on the safe use of (i) pharmacological and (ii) other clinical interventions to mitigate the impact of a potential influenza pandemic.

Dawn Primarolo: Advice to businesses and organisations that are planning to make interventions available to their employees is that distribution should be carried out under the guidance of a medical practitioner, in line with their usual occupational health arrangements. Advice on planning for a pandemic is included in the draft national framework for responding to an influenza pandemic that was issued for public discussion in March. Workplace guidance for pandemic flu is also available from the Health and Safety Executive website.

Influenza: Disease Control

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the main headings of the information presented to the 14 February 2007 meeting of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on risk groups relating to the prioritisation of vaccinations in the event of an influenza pandemic; what progress is being made in combining this information with mathematical modelling in order to present a comprehensive package of information; by which  (a) parties and  (b) Government Departments this comprehensive package of information will be used; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) considered prioritisation issues connected with pandemic-specific vaccines and pre-pandemic vaccines which might be deployed to counter a flu pandemic. The group was presented with clinical, practical and public health considerations for the possible prioritisation of some or all of the following groups; healthcare workers, those at high risk of complications, those aged 18 years or younger to reduce disease transmission, those over 65, essential workers and enclosed communities. Another consideration was vaccination of the entire population.
	The modelling subgroup of the Pandemic Influenza Scientific Advisory Group has considered the conclusions of a number of pieces of analysis (some commissioned specially for the group) on the role of both pre- and specific vaccines. This is discussed in the modelling summary published on the Department's website. The results of the analysis and the conclusions of the subgroup were presented at the June JCVI meeting and there will be further presentations and discussion at the next meeting.
	The conclusions of the discussion will feed into the considerations of the Department and the Cabinet Office, including discussions with other Government Departments, on future options for pandemic preparedness.

Influenza: Disease Control

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the effectiveness of stockpiling  (a) oseltamivir,  (b) zanamivir,  (c) other antivirals and  (d) pre-pandemic vaccines to prepare the NHS for tackling an influenza pandemic.

Dawn Primarolo: We continue to receive representations from a range of sources on the effectiveness of stockpiling both antivirals and pre-pandemic vaccine.

Influenza: Disease Control

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when his Department will publish its response to the consultation on the national framework for responding to an influenza pandemic;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2007,  Official Report, column 2298W, on influenza, when he plans to publish a final framework.

Dawn Primarolo: The national framework is due to be published later in the year.

Influenza: Disease Control

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the  (a) manufacturing capacity,  (b) distribution capacity and  (c) storage capacity of the pre-pandemic vaccine producers.

Dawn Primarolo: The United Kingdom policy on pre-pandemic vaccination has not yet been finalised and the appropriateness and cost-effectiveness of this countermeasure is still being assessed, along with manufacturing, distribution and storage capacity of producers.

Injuries: Children

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children  (a) were admitted to hospital and  (b) died as a result of unintentional injury in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The number of admissions of children (aged 0 to 14) to hospital as a result of unintentional injury in each of the last five years for which data are available is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Count of finished admission episodes for children (ages 0-14) with unintentional injury, national health service hospitals, England 
			  Financial year  Number of admissions 
			 2001-02 102,833 
			 2002-03 97,493 
			 2003-04 99,915 
			 2004-05 99,517 
			 2005-06 100,194 
			  Notes: 1. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 2. Data are for International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes V01 to X59, which cover external causes of accidental injury. Data represent a count of all episodes where this diagnosis was mentioned in any of the 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in a HES record. 3. HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. 4. When analysing time series of HES data, the impact of improvements over time in data quality and coverage, and of changes in NHS practice need to be borne in mind. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  5. Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed).  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care. 
		
	
	The number of children (aged 0 to 14) who died as a result of unintentional injury in each of the last five years for which data are available is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Deaths from unintentional injury, ages 0 to 14, England 
			   Number of deaths 
			 2002 284 
			 2003 274 
			 2004 240 
			 2005 231 
			 2006 233 
			  Notes: 1. Data are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 2. Cause of death is based on the final underlying cause, defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes V01 to X59. 3. Data are for usual residents of England.  Source: Office for National Statistics death registrations

Junior Doctors: Vacancies

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of vacancies for junior doctors are expected to be filled by 1 August, broken down by  (a) deanery and  (b) specialty; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: At the end of round one, 85 per cent. of junior doctor training posts had been filled.
	The round 2 recruitment is in progress and the estimated total fill rate for 1 August is around 90 per cent. This means that national health service hospitals should have the junior doctors they need in post to ensure that services run smoothly around the annual changeover of junior doctors in early August.
	A new wave of junior doctors start working in NHS hospitals across the country in August, each year. We appreciate that there are more involved this year, but hospitals are used to dealing with a new influx of junior doctors. Hospital consultants every year quietly, and very competently, plan for that process.
	All applicants who are in substantive NHS employment will continue to have employment while they progress through the next round. This will help cover any remaining gaps in August.

Link Up Service

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with colleagues in the Department for Work and Pensions on the health benefits of the Link Up service.

Ivan Lewis: The cross-Government strategy, "'Opportunity Age'—meeting the challenge of a changing society", was published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as a consultation document on 23 March 2005. The strategy outlines what can be done to meet the challenge of the changing demographics in the 21st century and looks specifically at the issues facing society as people live longer, healthier lives. It includes supporting active ageing and giving people more choice and independence in how they use the services at their disposal.
	The Department was a major partner with the DWP in Opportunity Age. A specific theme of Opportunity Age was the development of LinkAge Plus pilots, which aim to build more effective links between central Government, local authorities and other organisations and deliver a fully integrated service to meet the needs of older people.
	Eight LinkAge Plus pilots were established. LinkAge Plus is a two-year pilot programme, with funding available until March 2008. It was launched in September 2006 and aims to test models of partnership working and build up evidence of good practice to ensure joined up working. The Link Up service in Gateshead is one of these pilots.
	Link Up offers advice and help to people in Gateshead aged 50 or over on a variety of topics, including health, benefits and how to stay healthy and active, and help with domestic tasks such as gardening and shopping.

Macular Degeneration

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instruct primary care trusts to make all treatments for wet age-related macular degeneration available to patients on the national health service.

Ann Keen: All primary care trusts (PCTs) are funding photodynamic therapy treatment for patients with both the wholly classic and the predominantly classic forms of wet age-related macular degeneration, in line with guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
	NICE is currently carrying out an appraisal of Lucentis and Macugen, which are now both licensed for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, and final guidance is due later in the year.
	Where guidance from NICE is not yet available, PCTs are expected to apply local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies. These arrangements should include an assessment of the available evidence.

Medical Treatments Abroad

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients were treated overseas in 2006, broken down by  (a) country in which treatment was obtained and  (b) type of treatment; and what the cost was to the NHS of these treatments, broken down by country in which treatment was obtained.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 23 July 2007
	It has been assumed that the question relates to patients being referred abroad specifically for treatment. There are a number of different routes by which patients can be sent abroad for treatment. We only hold information where the relevant authorisation has to be given by the Department. Cost information is not available as claims do not separate the different categories of treatment and this could only be done at disproportionate cost. The following table shows the number of patients treated by country and treatment type where Departmental authorisation has been given.
	
		
			  Country  Type of Treatment  Number of cases 
			 Austria Lung transplant 1 
			  Maternity care 5 
			  Removal of screws 1 
			  Total for country 7 
			 Belgium Annual check for heart transplant 1 
			  Atrial fibrillation 1 
			  CTscan 2 
			  Maternity care 21 
			  Phalloplasty 2 
			  Scan for epilepsy (ictal spect scan) 3 
			  Total for country 30 
			 Czech Republic Maternity care 11 
			  Total for country 11 
			 Finland Blood test 1 
			  Cancer care 2 
			  Cholecystectomy 1 
			  Maternity care 4 
			  Removal of implant 1 
			  Total for country 9 
			 France Bladder echocardiogram 1 
			  Brain aneurysm treatment 1 
			  Colonoscopy 2 
			  Consultation 3 
			  Ear reconstruction 2 
			  EEG scan 1 
			  Embolisation 1 
			  Endoscopy 1 
			  Gamma knife assessment 1 
			  Maternity care 104 
			  Photons 1 
			  Pilondial sinus and abscess 1 
			  Primary torsion dystonia 1 
			  Proton beam therapy 3 
			  Pudendal nerve compression 2 
			  Renal transplant 1 
			  Stereo-Electroencephalography 2 
			  Steroid injection 1 
			  Thyroidectomy 1 
			  Trapped pudendal nerve 1 
			  Urine test/injection 1 
			  Unknown 4 
			  Total for country 136 
			 Germany Advanced radiosurgery/MRI scan 1 
			  Cancer treatment 1 
			  Chemotherapy 1 
			  Cyberknife therapy 1 
			  F-Dopa-Pet scan 1 
			  Speech therapy 1 
			  Heart stemcell therapy 1 
			  Hernia 1 
			  Intraluminal bare laser 2 
			  Laser treatment of the tongue 2 
			  Maternity care 44 
			  Meg scan 1 
			  Pet scan 1 
			  Phalloplasty 1 
			  Provision of hearing aid 1 
			  Skin cancer 1 
			  Stem cell therapy 1 
			  Unknown 1 
			  Total for country 63 
			 Greece Maternity care 2 
			  Total for country 2 
			 Italy Maternity care 10 
			  Total for country 10 
			 Netherlands Chemotherapy 2 
			  Genetic mutation analysis 1 
			  Maternity care 8 
			  Total for country 11 
			 Norway Maternity care 1 
			  Total for country 1 
			 Poland Accident 1 
			  Maternity care 21 
			  Total for country 22 
			 Slovak Republic Maternity care 3 
			  Total for country 3 
			 Spain Maternity care 27 
			  Medication 1 
			  Total for country 28 
			 Sweden Carcinoid cancer 3 
			  Ergonomics and physiotherapy 3 
			  Lymph oedema 1 
			  Maternity care 3 
			  Neurendocrine pancreatic tumour 2 
			  Octreotide treatment 2 
			  Unknown 3 
			  Total for country 17 
			 Switzerland Maternity care 5 
			  Total for country 5 
			 Unknown Unknown 2 
			  Total treatments abroad 357

Medical Treatments: Heart Diseases

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients suffering from congestive heart failure were treated through  (a) pharmacological management,  (b) cardiac transplant surgery and  (c) the use of medical devices in each of the last five years, broken down by strategic health authority.

Ann Keen: These data are not collected centrally.

Medical Treatments: Heart Diseases

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spent on  (a) pharmacological management,  (b) cardiac transplant surgery and  (c) the use of medical devices in the treatment of congestive heart failure in each of the last five years, broken down by strategic health authority.

Ann Keen: Information is not collected in the form requested. It is possible to separate spending on medical devices and pharmacological management devices specifically for treatment for congestive heart failure from figures for such spending related to cardiac conditions generally.
	On heart and lung transplants only national figures are available for procedures commissioned under the auspices of the National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group. The following figures are for national commissioning across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and include assessment, organ retrieval and follow-up services for both heart and lung transplant.
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2002-03 30.1 
			 2003-04 31.4 
			 2004-05 33.8 
			 2005-06 35.7 
			 2006-07 37.8

Medical Treatments: Heart Diseases

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the cost was of treating congestive heart failure in each of the last five years to the NHS, broken down by strategic health authority;
	(2)  what the average cost of an occupied bed day was for patients with congestive heart failure in each of the last five years, broken down by strategic health authority.

Ann Keen: These data requested are not held centrally.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 21 June 2007 on Type 1 diabetes.

Ann Keen: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 24 July 2007.

Mental Health Services: Children

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialists in child mental health were employed in the NHS in each of the last 10 years, broken down by NHS trust.

Ben Bradshaw: Information about medical child mental health specialists has been placed in the Library. It is not possible to separately identify child mental health nurses.

Mental Health Services: Manpower

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) consultant psychiatrists,  (b) mental health nurses and  (c) primary care mental health workers were employed by the NHS in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (i) head count and (ii) full-time equivalents.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			   1997  1998  1999  2000 
			   Headcount  Full-time equivalent  Headcount  Full-time equivalent  Headcount  Full-time equivalent  Headcount  Full-time equivalent 
			 All staff 52,667 47,385 51,504 46,316 51,730 46,273 51,930 46,823 
			 Consultant Psychiatrists 2,447 2,206 2,627 2,359 2,808 2,525 2,904 2,621 
			 Mental Health Nurses 50,220 45,179 48,877 43,957 48,922 43,748 49,026 44,203 
			 Nurse Consultant n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Modern Matron n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Manager 1,137 1,106 1,119 1,085 1,070 1,036 1,154 1,113 
			 Other 1(st) level 43,509 39,297 42,963 38,685 43,494 38,965 44,363 40,061 
			 Other 2(nd) level 5,574 4,776 4,795 4,186 4,358 3,747 3,509 3,029 
		
	
	
		
			   2001  2002  2003  2004 
			   Headcount  Full-time equivalent  Headcount  Full-time equivalent  Headcount  Full-time equivalent  Headcount  Full-time equivalent 
			 All staff 54,274 48,046 55,183 49,172 56,907 50,127 59,601 52,342 
			 Consultant Psychiatrists 2,959 2,633 2,979 2,673 3,229 2,920 3,555 3,231 
			 Mental Health Nurses 51,315 45,413 52,204 46,499 53,678 47,207 56,046 49,111 
			 Nurse Consultant 36 36 75 70 95 94 130 126 
			 Modern Matron n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Manager 1,464 1,416 1,423 1,377 1,731 1,677 2,021 1,974 
			 Other 1(st) level 46,112 40,927 47,673 42,590 48,775 43,120 50,924 44,785 
			 Other 2(nd) level 3,703 3,033 3,033 2,461 3,077 2,317 2,971 2,226 
		
	
	
		
			   2005  2006 
			   Headcount  Full-time equivalent  Headcount  Full-time equivalent 
			 All staff 61,136 53,328 59,866 52,957 
			 Consultant Psychiatrists 3,759 3,432 3,805 3,474 
			 Mental Health Nurses 57,377 49,896 56,061 49,483 
			 Nurse Consultant 142 138 144 141 
			 Modern Matron 168 165 225 222 
			 Manager 1,764 1,718 1,823 1,763 
			 Other 1(st) level 52,668 45,965 52,299 46,009 
			 Other 2(nd) level 2,635 1,909 1,570 1,348 
			 n/a = Not applicable.  Notes: 1. Mental health nurses are those qualified nurses who work within the community psychiatry, other psychiatry, community learning disabilities and other learning disabilities areas. 2. More accurate validation processes in 2006 have resulted in the identification and removal of 9,858 duplicate non-medical staff records out of the total work force figure of 1.3 million in 2006. Earlier years' figures could not be accurately validated in this way and so will be slightly inflated. The level of inflation in earlier years' figures is estimated to be less than 1 per cent. of total across all non-medical staff groups for headcount figures (and negligible for full-time equivalents). This should be taken into consideration when analysing trends over time.  Sources: 1. Information Centre for health and social care non-medical workforce census 2. The Information Centre for health and social care medical and dental workforce census

Mental Health Services: Young People

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new cases were dealt with by child and adolescent mental health services in each of the last five years.

Ivan Lewis: The number of new cases dealt with by specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in England was as follows.
	
		
			   Cases 
			 2002 9,822 
			 2003 16,632 
			 2004 27,892 
			 2005 31,330 
			 2006 29,170 
			  Source: CAMHS mapping data 2002-06

Midwives: Manpower

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of midwives working in the NHS in England.

Ben Bradshaw: It is important that these assessments are made locally as they know their local needs best and can ensure that services are developed to meet these needs.
	The 2007-08 national health service operating framework requires local NHS organisations to undertake a review of their maternity services, identify the gaps and barriers to service development and set out their local strategy for delivery of maternity matters. The review needs to include an assessment of their workforce capacity.
	Between September 1997 and September 2006, the (headcount) number of midwives employed in the NHS has increased by 2,084 (9 per cent).

Midwives: Training

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many training places for student midwives are planned to be provided in  (a) the 2007-08 academic year and  (b) subsequent years; what factors are taken into account in deciding the number commissioned; which (i) individuals and (ii) organisations were consulted in that decision; and who decides how many places will be commissioned.

Ben Bradshaw: A total of 2,116 planned student midwifery training places were commissioned for the 2007-08 academic year. Information on the number of planned training places for subsequent years is not available centrally.
	When determining the number of training places needed, the existing number of midwifes, the expected number of graduates and policy priorities such as Maternity Matters are expected to be taken into account.
	Strategic health authorities will have the final decision on how many places to commission. The Department has a service level agreement with local strategic health authorities (SHAs) which expects them to make decisions and plans based on long-term workforce planning using national and local data sources with support from the national workforce review team. It is for individual SHAs to decide on the appropriate organisations to consult.

Multiple Sclerosis: Drugs

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the review on the use of the drug Sativex by multiple sclerosis patients will conclude; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The review period for Sativex concluded on 19 July 2007 when the applicant for the marketing authorisation, GW Pharmaceuticals Ltd, withdrew the application in all concerned member states (Netherland, Denmark, Spain and the United Kingdom). No further review on Sativex is possible until another application is submitted by the company.

Musculoskeletal Disorders: Health Services

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he will assess implementation of the Musculoskeletal Services Framework beyond the 18-week target.

Ann Keen: The Musculoskeletal Services Framework (MSF) was published as good practice guidance and it is for local organisations to decide how best to implement it. The Department will not be monitoring local implementation formally, but will continue to monitor indicators such as waiting times and to liaise with stakeholders such as those represented on the National Orthopaedics Co-ordinating Group.

Musculoskeletal Disorders: Health Services

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many submissions his Department has received on addressing musculoskeletal problems in the Quality and Outcomes Framework.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department of Health does not receive any submissions on changes to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).
	The independent expert panel which advises the negotiating parties to the general medical services contract on the evidence for changes to the QOF invited submissions for a review of QOF in 2005. The panel received two submissions in relation to falls, one in relation to osteoarthritis and seven in relation to osteoporosis. All submissions were considered and the expert panel produced reports which have been published on the University of Birmingham website.
	As part of the ongoing development of the framework, indicators will be subject to continuing review in the light of emerging evidence, in the context of a value for money agreement. The expert panel again invited patient groups and professional bodies to submit evidence on current or potential future areas in QOF by 28 February this year. The panel has now concluded oral sessions with submitting groups. NHS Employers, which holds the contract with the expert panel and negotiates changes to the contract with the British Medical Association, intends to make further information available on this process soon.

NHS Direct

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many calls were made to NHS Direct in each of the last five years; and what progress is being made on the development and implementation of the telephone internet and digital service as recommended in the White Paper, "Choosing Health".

Ben Bradshaw: The NHS Direct Trust has provided the following information.
	
		
			  Number of calls offered( 1)  to NHS Direct in the last five calendar years 
			   Calls offered 
			 2002 7,375,970 
			 2003 8,168,357 
			 2004 8,611,418 
			 2005 8,104,166 
			 2006 7,336,604 
			 (1) Defined as the number of calls offered received by NHS Direct. This is the combined total of calls to NHS Direct's out-of-hours services and calls to the 08454647 telephone line.  Sources: 1. NHS Direct. The figures have not been validated by the Department 2. NHS Direct NHS Trust National Operations Centre 
		
	
	The "Choosing Health" White Paper commitment to develop and implement telephone, internet and digital services is being delivered through the new NHS Choices website, available at www.nhs.uk/Pages/homepage.aspx. This currently incorporates a Live Well area; a local services search facility; and personalised, national health service accredited content that reflects the interests and needs of different age groups across a spectrum of issues and factors which can impact upon length and quality of life. Further services, including testing of SMS text messaging and digital television, will be added later this year.

NHS Treatment Centres

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of operating walk-in centres was in each primary care trust in the latest year for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not collect this information centrally. Primary Care Trusts are responsible for commissioning NHS walk-in centres.

NHS Treatment Centres: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated at York NHS walk-in centre in each year since it opened.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Attendances at NHS Walk in Centre (WiC), North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust (PCT), 2003-04 to 2006-07 
			   Organisation  Attendances 
			 2003-04 Selby and York PCT 39,221 
			 2004-05 Selby and York PCT 36,194 
			 2005-06 Selby and York PCT 28,058 
			 2006-07 North Yorkshire and York PCT 24,338 
			  Notes:  1. Attendances at WiCs were not collected as part of the QMAE return prior to 2003-04. Throughout this period the organisations above only reported one WiC each quarter.  2. On 1 October 2006, Selby and York PCT merged with three other PCTs to form North Yorkshire and York PCT.   Source:  Department of Health dataset QMAE.

NHS: Accountancy

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on which dates the annual accounts of the NHS were published in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: All national health service bodies are required to publish their accounts locally. The accounts must be presented at a public meeting held no later than 30 September following the end of the financial year (31 March).
	The National Audit Office publishes the NHS summarised accounts for strategic health authorities, primary care trusts and NHS trusts. The publication dates for the last five financial years were:
	2001-02: 21 March 2003
	2002-03: 28 April 2004
	2003-04: 24 June 2005
	2004-05: 7 June 2006
	2005-06: not yet published

NHS: Drugs

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department put in place formal arrangements with the Department of Trade and Industry to ensure co-operation when representing the interests of the pharmaceutical industry, as stated on page 24 of the Government's response to the Health Committee's report "The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry", Cm 6655; whether this formal co-operation now takes place between his Department and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; whether this formal co-operation extends to representing the interests of the  (a) nutraceutical,  (b) food supplements and  (c) specialist nutritional products industries; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: In line with the Government response to the Health Committee's report "The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry", the Department and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) have put in place formal arrangements to ensure close working between both Departments on issues relating to the pharmaceutical industry.
	The directors of the Medicines, Pharmacy and Industry Group (MPIG) in the Department and the Business Relations Group at BERR meet regularly and work closely in taking forward this agenda. In addition, officials in the Industry Branch within MPIG and in the BioScience Unit of the Business Relations Unit meet on a quarterly basis. They also work closely on a day-to-day basis taking forward policy relating to the United Kingdom-based pharmaceutical industry. These formal relations were put in place in 2005 and continue today.
	The Department sponsors the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries. It does not sponsor the nutraceutical, food supplements and specialist nutritional products industries, and similar relations with BERR are not required.

NHS: Finance

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the per capita funding allocated to each primary care trust in England was in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what the national average NHS per capita funding was in each such year.

Ben Bradshaw: A table showing the funds per capita for each primary care trust in England and the England average for the years 2003-04 to 2007-08 has been placed in the Library.

NHS: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department's 2002 Spending Review settlement set financial limits on the negotiation of a new contract for the delivery of general medical services.

Ben Bradshaw: The cost of the new contract for the delivery of general medical services was just one of the many components that made up the Department's 2002 Spending Review settlement.

NHS: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1487W, on NHS: finance, if he will place in the Library copies of the guidance on the introduction of Resource Accounting and Budgeting issued to the NHS by his Department in 2000 and the consolidated guidance issued in February 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: Copies of "A guide to resource accounting and budgeting for the NHS", issued by the Department's Finance Directorate, have been placed in the Library. It can also be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Policyandguidance/Organisationpolicy/Financeandplanning/Allocations/DH_4000346

NHS: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1670W, on NHS: finance, what the dates were of each meeting for which his Department holds minutes on this subject.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department's Ministers and officials regularly discuss a wide range of issues with their counterparts in HM Treasury. As was the case in previous Administrations, it is not the practice of the Government to provide details of all such meetings.

NHS: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 12 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1670W, on NHS: finance, what form these records take other than minutes of meetings.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department holds records of correspondence between the Department and HM Treasury.

NHS: Greater London

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many London hospitals that have completed or committed to private finance initiative (PFI) contracts may be affected by the Darzi proposals to reorganise NHS services in London; and what estimate he has made of the potential level of PFI debt that may fall back on to the  (a) Exchequer and  (b) NHS in the event of closure.

Ben Bradshaw: Changes in services are a matter for the local national health service. Specific proposals as a result of the Darzi review have not yet emerged.
	Under a private finance initiative contract, trusts may terminate the contract with notice at any time, without having to prove right and regardless of any prejudice to the private sector. In these circumstances, compensation would be payable to the contractor on a trust default basis aiming to put the contractor in a position that is 'no better, no worse' than it would have been had the contract run for its full length. A value for money case for exercising this option must be made. To date no estimates have been made by the Department on the termination liabilities of any PFI scheme, costs which would be met by the individual trust involved.

NHS: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) bonuses and  (b) pension benefits the outgoing chief executive of Connecting for Health will accrue before leaving Connecting for Health; what severance pay he will be eligible for; and when he will have completed his notice period at the agency.

Ben Bradshaw: The outgoing director general of Connecting for Health will be stepping down from his role in the Department and he will not be eligible for severance pay. A final day of service has not been agreed between the Department and the director general and dependent upon his last day of service this will determine eligibility for bonus payments. The director general for Connecting for Health will continue to accrue pension benefits under the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme in the usual way until his final day of service.

NHS: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the new Chief Executive of Connecting for Health will be empowered to renegotiate contracts with local service providers;
	(2)  whether responsibility for delivering Connecting for Health will lie with  (a) Ministers and  (b) the new Chief Executive of Connecting for Health.

Ben Bradshaw: The Chief Executive of NHS Connecting for Health is accountable, through the national health service Chief Executive, to Ministers for the strategic direction of the national programme for information technology and for management of the contracts between the Department and local service providers. The programme contracts provide appropriate mechanisms for negotiating contract changes where that is necessary.
	Responsibility for local implementation, and realising the benefits of the technology, rests with the strategic health authority (SHA) chief executives as senior responsible owners for the programme within the NHS. In this way SHAs, together with NHS trusts and primary care trusts, are able to participate in the choice of systems and services, and in the planning and timing of deployments to better match the programme to local NHS priorities.
	There are no current plans to alter these arrangements.

NHS: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the tenure of the outgoing Chief Executive of Connecting for Health will overlap with that of his successor.

Ben Bradshaw: A final day of service has not yet been agreed between the Department and the Director General and it is unknown whether there will be an overlap with any successor at this stage.

NHS: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what team was put on standby to take over iSoft in the case of Connecting for Health exercising its step-in-rights; and at what cost the team was put on standby.

Ben Bradshaw: Step-in rights are one of a number of provisions in the contracts between NHS Connecting for Health and its prime contractors under the national programme for information technology whose exercise is reserved, on an exceptional basis and in the event of certain critical circumstances, for the purpose of maintaining continuity of delivery and service for the NHS.
	Action was taken to exercise this provision in relation to iSoft on a contingency basis, and a joint team of appropriately experienced NHS and private sector programme managers and software engineers identified for the purpose. There have been no standby costs, but some limited expenditure has been incurred in monitoring the circumstances surrounding the recent uncertainty over the future of iSoft. However, this has not been recorded separately and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

NHS: Information

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which areas he expects trials of the information prescription to take place; how many people will be involved in the trials; what funding has been allocated for the trials; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Information prescription pilots are taking place in 20 areas around England in a range of health and social care settings, and they include many different health and social need conditions and needs. A full list has been placed in the Library.
	Each pilot site is involving a range of service users, professionals, carers and support staff, but there are no counts of the numbers of people involved, and more people will continue to be involved as the pilots progress. The initiative in total has a funding of £1.35 million in 2006-07, and £2.5 million in 2007-08.

NHS: Information

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health for which conditions he expects information prescriptions to be available.

Ann Keen: Information prescriptions are being developed for everyone with a long-term condition or social care need, as described in the 2006 White Paper 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say'.

NHS: Information

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make an assessment of the information prescription trial.

Ann Keen: The 20 information prescriptions pilot sites are being assessed by an independent evaluation consortium. They will be producing a final report on the work of the pilots in February 2008, which will be used to inform the national roll-out of information prescriptions.

NHS: Information

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he is making for the full roll-out of information prescriptions; and how much he expects the full roll-out of information prescription to cost.

Ann Keen: The information prescriptions initiative has a funding of £2.5 million in the financial year 2007-08. Plans for full roll-out will be developed based on the learning from the 20 sites which are piloting information prescriptions.

NHS: Pay

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent  (a) in the NHS,  (b) in each primary care trust area and  (c) by each primary care trust on payoffs to staff in each of the last three years.

Ann Keen: This information is not collected centrally.

NHS: Sick Leave

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1320W, on NHS: sick leave, what the average sickness absence rate for NHS staff was in each year since 2001, broken down by strategic health authority area.

Ben Bradshaw: The national health service sickness absence rate has fallen from 4.8 per cent. in 2001 to 4.5 per cent. in 2005.
	The following table shows sickness absence rates from 2001 to 2005. This is broken down by strategic health authority (SHAs) for 2003 to 2005(1). The Information Centre for health and social care advises that the quality of data is not high enough prior to 2003 to break this information down by SHA. Sickness absence rates for 2006 are not included because a refresh exercise is being undertaken. Final 2006 figures will be available in August.
	(1) For previous structure of 28 SHAs. It is not possible to reproduce this for the current structure of 10 SHAs.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 England 4.8 4.6 4.7 4.6 4.5 
			   
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire n/a n/a 4.5 4.6 4.6 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire n/a n/a 4.6 4.4 4.2 
			 Essex n/a n/a 4.7 4.6 4.4 
			 North West London n/a n/a 4.0 4.1 4.0 
			 North Central London n/a n/a 4.1 4.0 3.8 
			 North East London n/a n/a 4.1 4.4 4.1 
			 South East London n/a n/a 4.7 4.2 3.9 
			 South West London n/a n/a 4.2 4.1 4.3 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear n/a n/a 5.4 5.2 5.7 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley n/a n/a 4.8 4.8 4.6 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire n/a n/a 4.4 4.3 4.4 
			 West Yorkshire n/a n/a 4.8 4.4 4.5 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire n/a n/a 4.8 4.8 5.0 
			 Greater Manchester n/a n/a 5.2 4.8 5.0 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside n/a n/a 5.4 5.3 5.4 
			 Thames Valley n/a n/a 3.9 4.0 3.9 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight n/a n/a 4.4 4.3 4.2 
			 Kent and Medway n/a n/a 4.8 4.9 4.5 
			 Surrey and Sussex n/a n/a 4.0 3.9 4.0 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire n/a n/a 4.7 4.7 4.5 
			 South West Peninsula n/a n/a 4.8 4.4 4.6 
			 Dorset and Somerset n/a n/a 4.6 4.3 4.4 
			 South Yorkshire n/a n/a 4.3 4.3 4.0 
			 Trent n/a n/a 5.1 4.9 4.8 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland n/a n/a 4.9 4.7 4.7 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire n/a n/a 5.4 5.0 5.0 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country n/a n/a 4.8 4.7 4.4 
			 West Midlands South n/a n/a 5.2 4.8 4.7 
			 n/a = Not applicable, sickness/absence data are not available by SHA area prior to 2002.  Notes: 1. Data for 2002 are of insufficient quality to produce data at a SHA level. 2. Sickness absence rate is defined as the amount of time lost through absences as a percentage of staff time available. 3. This does not cover maternity leave, carers leave or any periods of absence agreed under family friendly/flexible working policies. 4. General Practitioners and their staff are not included in the aforementioned figures. 5. Figures for strategic health authority areas are an average of all primary care trusts, other trusts and the strategic health authority organisations in that area. 6.Figures are for the calendar year.  Sources: The Department's Sickness/Absence survey 2000-04 The Information Centre for health and social care sickness/absence survey 2005

NHS: Working Hours

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the impact of the European working time directive on acute hospital services.

Ben Bradshaw: The new deal contract monitoring returns give an indication of national health service readiness for fully implementing the working time directive 48-hour week for doctors in training. Monitoring information for September 2006 is published on the NHS Employers website at
	www.nhsemployers.org/pay-conditions/pay-conditions-467.cfm.
	Collection of the 2007 new deal monitoring information will commence this autumn.

Nurses: Children

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 470-1W, on nurses: children, how many of the duplicate records identified paediatric nurses.

Ben Bradshaw: In 2006 the census data reported a total of 18,634 qualified nursing staff working within the paediatric area of work. The validation process prior to publication identified and removed 135 duplicate records from the paediatric area of work.

Nurses: Manpower

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) district nurses,  (b) nursing auxiliaries,  (c) school nurses,  (d) mental handicap nurses,  (e) community psychiatric nurses,  (f) treatment nurses,  (g) community midwives and  (h) health visitors were employed in the NHS in each year since 2000; and what the projected figures are for each year to 2010, broken down by health trust.

Ben Bradshaw: This information has been placed in the Library.
	The annual workforce census does not identify mental handicap nurses, treatment nurses or community midwives seperately from the rest of the nursing workforce. Comprehensive data on school nurses have only been collected centrally since 2004.
	Projected figures for each year to 2010, broken down by health trust are not collected centrally.

Nurses: Manpower

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist nurses were employed in the NHS in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: The annual workforce census does not identify the number of specialist nurses.
	The workforce census records the number of qualified nurses, midwives and health visitors under the several different branches of nursing which are acute, elderly and general, paediatric, maternity, psychiatry, learning disabilities, community services and education staff.

Nurses: Manpower

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to increase the number of specialist nurses employed in the NHS.

Ben Bradshaw: Workforce planning is a matter for local determination. It is for local workforce planners to determine the specialist nursing needs of their local population with appropriate support from the workforce review team, national workforce projects and NHS Employers.

Nurses: Recruitment

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the effect on the cost to the public purse of changing from current recruitment practices for nurses to an all-graduate intake for new nurses.

Ann Keen: As part of modernising nursing careers, the Nursing and Midwifery Council is reviewing the content and level of pre-registration education. If a graduate workforce is deemed appropriate, the costs and benefits of such a change will be taken into account.

Nutrition: Costs

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate he has made of the costs to (a) the NHS and  (b) society as a whole of (i) obesity and (ii) undernutrition.

Dawn Primarolo: 'Tackling Child Obesity—First Steps', a joint report from the National Audit Office, Healthcare Commission and Audit Commission published in February 2006, put the cost of obesity to the national health service at around £1 billion a year, with an additional £2.3 billion to £2.6 billion a year cost to the economy as a whole. Information on the cost of undernutrition to the NHS is not collected centrally.

Nutrition: Health Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to incorporate indicators of nutrition and diet in the Quality and Outcomes Framework of the new General Medical Services contract.

Ben Bradshaw: Currently there are eight points available in the quality and outcomes framework (QOF) rewarding practices for maintaining a register of patients aged 16 and over with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30. The register includes people whose BMI has been recorded in practice as part of routine care.
	There are currently no plans to incorporate indicators of nutrition and diet in the QOF. However, as part of the ongoing development of the framework, indicators will be subject to continuing review in the light of emerging evidence, in the context of a value for money agreement.

Obesity: Young People

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of whether the public service agreement target to halt the year on year rise in obesity among children under 11 by 2010 will be met.

Dawn Primarolo: The obesity public service agreement (PSA) will be assessed by comparing Health Survey for England figures for aggregate three-year periods, which are used to account for the limited sample size.
	This is a very challenging PSA target. Progress has been made:
	Ofcom and the Committee of Advertising Practice have announced restrictions to limit advertising of products high in fat, sugar and salt to children;
	80 per cent. of pupils participate in at least two hours of high quality physical education and school sport a week;
	new, tougher nutritional standards for school food have been announced; and
	the Top Tips for Top Mums campaign helps parents tackle the four key barriers to children eating fruit and vegetables (cost, fussy eaters, limited time/cooking skills and a lack of structured meal occasions).
	Internationally, our approach is regarded as good practice, informing, for example, the WHO Europe Charter on Counteracting Obesity published in November 2006.

Organs: Donors

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what strategy is in place to increase the number of organ donors.

Ann Keen: The Department launched "Saving Lives, Valuing Donors: A transplant framework for England" in 2003 and the National Service Framework for Renal Services in 2004. These set out the Department's key aims for organ and tissue transplantation over the following 10 years. Government investment in hospital-based funding has helped increase donor rates and an organ donor taskforce will report to Ministers in autumn 2007 on how organ donor rates can be further improved.

Patients

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what models are used by his Department to determine patient flows between major general hospitals; and what assessment he has made of their accuracy.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has not used models to determine patient flows between major general hospitals. This work is considered at a local level.

Patients: Nutrition

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average expenditure was on each patient main meal delivered in hospital in  (a) cash terms and  (b) current prices in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: Information on the average expenditure on each patient main meal is in the following table. The actual amounts shown are as collected from the national health service in the financial year in question. Information on the basis of constant prices is neither collected nor calculated centrally. The data were not collected before 2001-02.
	In respect of hospital food services, there is no relationship between cost and quality.
	
		
			   Average amount spent per patient main meal (£) 
			 2001-02 2.19 
			 2002-03 2.41 
			 2003-04 2.37 
			 2004-05 2.60 
			 2005-06 2.65 
		
	
	In-patients are expected to receive three main meals per day. The expenditure shown includes the cost of provisions and staff costs.
	Since 2004-05, the data provided have not been collected on a mandatory basis and therefore may not be complete.

Patients: Nutrition

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average additional cost of treating a patient in hospital per episode of care if the patient is undernourished.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Patients: Nutrition

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish the joint departmental and stakeholder nutrition action plan; which stakeholders are involved in developing the plan; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department intends to publish the action plan, which was discussed at the second Nutrition Summit on 17 July, in the autumn. A wide range of stakeholders are involved in its development. These stakeholders are shown in the following list.
	Age Concern
	Association of Directors of Adult Social Services
	British Medical Association
	British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
	British Dietetic Association
	Caroline Walker Trust
	Commission for Social Care Inspection
	Council of Europe Alliance
	English Community Care Association
	Food Standards Agency
	Healthcare Commission
	Help the Aged
	Hospital Caterers Association
	Local Government Association
	National Association of Care Caterers
	National Health Service Core Learning Unit
	National Institute of Health & Clinical Excellence
	National Nurses Nutrition Group
	National Patient Safety Agency
	Patients Association
	People First
	Purchasing and Supply Agency
	Royal Institute of Public Health
	Royal College of Nurses
	Skills for Care
	Skills for Health
	Sustain
	United Kingdom Home Care Association
	Water UK

Physiotherapy: Manpower

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the change in numbers of  (a) junior physiotherapists and (b) senior physiotherapists employed in the NHS was between April 2001 and April 2007.

Ben Bradshaw: This information is not collected centrally. The annual work force census, published by the Information Centre for health and social care, does not identify physiotherapists by grade.
	The total number of physiotherapists employed in the NHS increased by 5,577 between 1997 and 2006 (the latest data we have) to 19,820.

Physiotherapy: Manpower

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many physiotherapy graduates are registered with NHS Jobs.

Ben Bradshaw: There were 537 physiotherapy graduates registered on the national health service jobs talent pool as at 17 July 2007.

Pregnant Women: Alcoholic Drinks

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to implement training programmes for health care professionals on the prevention, diagnosis and management of the full range of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the training, guidance and resources available in the NHS for routine screening of alcohol consumption by pregnant women;
	(3)  what research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the clinical management of individuals affected by foetal alcohol spectrum disorders; and what support systems are available to them and their carers and families.

Ann Keen: The Department is not responsible for setting curriculums for health professional training. However, the Department does share a commitment with statutory and professional bodies to ensure that all health professionals are appropriately trained, so that they have the skills and knowledge to deliver a high-quality health service to all groups of the population, whatever their condition.
	The Department has funded the production of guidance to support the effective delivery of high quality training on substance misuse, including alcohol, within undergraduate medical education in the United Kingdom. Compilation of Substance Misuse in the Undergraduate Medical Curriculum was overseen by an expert steering group and published by the International Centre for Drugs Policy in April 2007.
	Although the Department has not made an assessment of the training, guidance and resources available in the national health service for routine screening of alcohol consumption by pregnant women, midwives routinely ask about alcohol consumption during booked antenatal appointments. The Department has also recently reworded its advice on alcohol and pregnancy. The revised advice states that pregnant women or women trying to conceive should avoid drinking alcohol. If they do choose to drink, to minimise the risk to the baby, they should not drink more than one to two units of alcohol once or twice a week, and should not get drunk.
	The Department has not commissioned or evaluated research on the clinical management of individuals affected by foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). However, the Government welcome the British Medical Association's recently published guide for health care professionals on FASD which will serve to raise awareness of this and provide important advice for diagnosis and those caring for patients affected by this condition.

Prescriptions: Contraceptives

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) courses of contraception and  (b) contraceptive devices were prescribed to persons (i) over 16 and (ii) in each age group under 16 in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The information available on supply of contraception and contraceptive devices supplied by community contraceptive clinics has been placed in the Library. Data in each age group under 16 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The information shown as follows is for prescriptions dispensed in the community (almost all of these prescriptions are written by general practice). Data by age are not available.
	
		
			  Thousand 
			   Regular methods of contraception( 1)  Contraceptive devices( 2) 
			 1997 8,246.0 102.8 
			 1998 8,246.1 99.4 
			 1999 8,245.4 96.1 
			 2000 8,241.7 89.7 
			 2001 8,239.7 85.5 
			 2002 8,237.1 82.3 
			 2003 8,234.1 81.7 
			 2004 8,231.3 81.4 
			 2005 8,223.4 87.7 
			 2006 8,208.9 101.9 
			 (1) Includes tablets, injections (including depo injections) and patches. (2) Includes implants, IUDs and IUSs.  Source: Prescription information is taken from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system, supplied by the Prescription Pricing Division (PPD) of the Business Services Authority (BSA), and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community ie by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospitals.

Prescriptions: Contraceptives

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions the morning after pill was prescribed  (a) in total and  (b) to girls under 16 by (i) family planning clinics, (ii) general practitioners, (iii) hospital accident and emergency departments, (iv) school nurses and (v) pharmacists since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The information available on emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) supplied by community contraceptive clinics is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Occasions on which emergency hormonal contraceptives were supplied at community contraceptive clinics by specified age and year—England 
			  Thousand 
			   All ages  Of which: Under 16 
			 1997-98 205.1 22.5 
			 1998-99 209.9 21.5 
			 1999-2000 233.0 23.1 
			 2000-01 228.8 25.2 
			 2001-02 192.0 25.5 
			 2002-03 188.0 26.9 
			 2003-04 (1)183.2 27.0 
			 2004-05 174.1 24.4 
			 2005-06 164.5 22.0 
			 (1) Data revised in 2004-05 publication.  Notes: Data prior to 2004-05 reused with the permission of the Department of Health.  Source: The Information Centre KT31 return. 
		
	
	The available data on the number of items of EHC prescribed by general practitioners are shown in the following table. Data by age are not available.
	
		
			  Year( 1)  General practitioners ( T housand) 
			 2003 368.2 
			 2004 333.2 
			 2005 302.9 
			 2006 280.6 
			  Source: (1) ePACT system, this contains a maximum of 60 months data 
		
	
	Information is not available on the supply of EHC by hospital accident and emergency departments and school nurses and up until the end of 2006 no pharmacists had written prescriptions for EHC.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to tackle the spread of genital warts, especially among people between 16 and 25;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the incidence of genital warts on genito- urinary medicine clinical resources.

Dawn Primarolo: Genital warts is the most frequently diagnosed viral sexually transmitted infection (STI) in genito-urinary clinics in England. In 2006, the highest rates of genital warts were in both the 16-19 and 20-24 year age groups in women and in the 20-24 year old age group in men. Most cases of genital warts are asymptomatic and resolve spontaneously in healthy individuals.
	To tackle the spread of STIs we have set a target that 100 per cent. of patients attending a genito-urinary medicine service are offered an appointment to be seen within 48 hours. We are already seeing excellent progress on this. Data from the Genito-Urinary Medicine Access Monthly Monitoring return showed that in May 2007, 85 per cent. of first attendances were offered an appointment to be seen within 48 hours of contacting a service. This compares with 58 per cent. in May 2006.
	Last November we launched a new adult sexual health campaign, "Condom Essential Wear", which aims to normalise condom use among sexually active adults. The campaign focuses on STIs most prevalent in the target 18-24 year old age group.

Skills for Health

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care trusts are running a skills for health programme; and how much this has cost.

Ivan Lewis: Skilled for Health early adopter partnerships are planned between local health and education bodies to provide local models of delivery for wider dissemination and as models of best practice to support wider rollout. Learning from these partnerships will be used to inform primary care trust (PCT) programmes.
	Phase 1 of Skilled for Health was completed in 2006 and the teaching resources developed were published in November 2006 as part of the embedded learning curriculum content for the Skills for Life programme. They are available at no cost to PCTs and their partners from Prolog (0845 60 222 600). Copies are available in the Library. Information on how these materials are being used locally to establish Skilled for Health programmes in PCTs in not collected centrally.

Smoking: Health Hazards

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the incidence of smoking-related diseases including  (a) lung cancer,  (b) heart disease and  (c) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was in (i) Hampshire and (ii) England in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested. Figures are available from Hospital Episode Statistics on the number of Finished Consultant Episodes (FCEs) in national health service hospitals in England with a primary diagnosis of diseases that can be caused by smoking. It is acknowledged that not all these FCEs which can be caused by smoking will be attributable to smoking as there are other contributory factors in these diseases. Therefore for England, the relative risks of these diseases for current and ex-smokers compared to non-smokers can be used to estimate smoking-attributable FCEs. The following tables provide either the number of FCEs that can be caused by smoking or estimates of the number of smoking-attributable FCEs.
	Table 1 shows the number of FCEs in England, for people of all ages, with a primary diagnosis of various diseases which can be caused by smoking for 1996-97 through to 2005-06.
	Table 2 shows the number of FCEs in England, for those aged 35 and over, with a primary diagnosis of various diseases which can be caused by smoking, and estimates of the number of these which can be attributed to smoking. Figures have been provided for 2004-05, as this is first and most recent year for which data on estimates of diseases which can be attributed to smoking are available. Figures are shown for those aged 35 and over only, because relative risks used to estimate the attributable numbers are only available for this age group.
	Table 3 shows the number of FCEs in Hampshire and Isle of Wight strategic health authority (SHA), for all ages, with a primary diagnosis of various diseases which can be caused by smoking for 1996-97 through to 2005-06.
	Relative risks of diseases for current and ex-smokers are not available at SHA level, so analysis estimating the numbers of smoking-attributable FCEs at SHA level cannot be provided.
	
		
			  Table 1 National health service( 1)  finished consultant episodes (FCEs)( 2)  in England where there was a primary diagnosis( 3)  of diseases that can be caused by smoking, 1996-97 to 2005-06( 4,5) , in England 
			   Finished Consultant Episodes 
			  Selected diagnoses  ICD-10 diagnoses codes  1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01 
			 All diseases caused in part by smoking  1,214,661 1,317,024 1,381,450 1,408,136 1,418,914 
			
			 Cancers caused in part by smoking  261,007 298,917 303,065 315,727 315,856 
			 Lung C33-C34 62,032 70,952 73,794 79,604 78,805 
			 Upper respiratory sites C00-C14,C32 14,092 18,343 19,227 20,812 17,999 
			 Oesophagus C15 22,175 25,159 26,511 30,049 32,463 
			 Bladder C67 76,415 81,525 84,351 83,341 80,504 
			 Kidney C64-C66,C68 9,553 10,280 10,192 10,897 11,134 
			 Stomach C16 23,428 25,072 25,609 26,468 28,552 
			 Pancreas C25 11,315 12,677 13,222 14,589 16,300 
			 Unspecified site C80 15,846 24,894 17,555 17,037 16,923 
			 Myeloid leukaemia C92 26,151 30,015 32,604 32,930 33,176 
			 Respiratory diseases caused in part by smoking  203,582 214,277 243,872 249,038 238,193 
			 Chronic obstructive lung disease J40-J44 111,395 119,911 135,006 140,092 136,271 
			 Pneumonia J10-318 92,187 94,366 108,866 108,946 101,922 
			
			 Circulatory diseases caused in part by smoking  507,096 551,899 563,886 564,624 575,174 
			 Ischaemic heart disease I20-I25 322,317 354,688 363,098 366,081 378,532 
			 Peripheral Arterial Disease I739 31,168 31,924 29,763 27,967 26,576 
			 Cerebrovascular disease I60-I69 130,116 140,189 144,800 145,479 144,661 
			 Aortic aneurysm I71 13,645 14,235 14,914 14,657 14,963 
			 Myocardial degeneration/ infarction I51 1,853 1,972 2,030 2,132 2,157 
			 Atherosclerosis I70 7,997 8,891 9,281 8,308 8,285 
			
			 Diseases of the digestive system caused in part by smoking  74,969 78,991 80,066 82,575 79,634 
			 Stomach/duodenal ulcer K25-K27 54,974 57,031 56,575 57,024 52,934 
			 Crohn's disease K50 13,203 15,071 15,969 17,231 18,317 
			 Periodontal disease K05 6,792 6,889 7,522 8,320 8,383 
			
			 Other diseases caused in part by smoking  168,007 172,940 190,561 196,172 210,057 
			 Senile cataract H25 54,189 58,875 74,410 79,898 95,127 
			 Hip fracture S72 70,544 72,265 74,798 76,668 75,365 
			 Spontaneous abortion O03 43,274 41,800 41,353 39,606 39,565 
		
	
	
		
			  Selected diagnoses  ICD-10 diagnoses codes  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 All diseases caused in part by smoking  1,463,872 1,551,970 1,632,929 1,671,282 1,730,478 
			
			 Cancers caused in part by smoking  317,438 329,310 336,250 345,755 373,212 
			 Lung C33-C34 76,867 79,252 84,251 89,900 98,340 
			 Upper respiratory sites C00-C14,C32 16,882 16,910 17,976 19,281 21,308 
			 Oesophagus C15 34,844 37,104 38,106 38,756 42,121 
			 Bladder C67 78,597 79,778 78,977 78,561 83,362 
			 Kidney C64-C66,C68 11,581 12,883 13,314 14,289 15,968 
			 Stomach C16 28,900 29,418 29,197 28,952 30,806 
			 Pancreas C25 17,986 19,184 21,040 23,105 25,938 
			 Unspecified site C80 17,200 17,713 17,301 17,532 17,656 
			 Myeloid leukaemia C92 34,581 37,068 36,088 35,379 37,713 
			
			 Respiratory diseases caused in part by smoking  263,422 281,221 323,295 338,920 357,154 
			 Chronic obstructive lung disease J40-J44 144,010 149,914 174,140 177,369 178,683 
			 Pneumonia J10-318 119,412 131,307 149,155 161,551 178,471 
			
			 Circulatory diseases caused in part by smoking  588,209 621,943 634,149 641,253 653,511 
			 Ischaemic heart disease I20-I25 387,073 408,893 418,344 421,386 428,262 
			 Peripheral Arterial Disease I739 24,641 22,656 20,391 18,903 17,856 
			 Cerebrovascular disease I60-I69 151,340 164,255 167,142 172,180 178,321 
			 Aortic aneurysm I71 14,362 15,065 15,277 15,564 15,606 
			 Myocardial degeneration/ infarction I51 2,398 2,615 2,982 3,057 3,524 
			 Atherosclerosis I70 8,395 8,459 10,013 10,163 9,942 
			
			 Diseases of the digestive system caused in part by smoking  77,901 77,995 80,453 80,631 87,023 
			 Stomach/duodenal ulcer K25-K27 49,653 48,173 46,857 44,544 44,549 
			 Crohn's disease K50 20,152 21,610 24,750 26,922 32,288 
			 Periodontal disease K05 8,096 8,212 8,846 9,165 10,186 
			
			 Other diseases caused in part by smoking  216,902 241,501 258,782 264,723 259,578 
			 Senile cataract H25 97,103 108,817 124,618 128,044 115,903 
			 Hip fracture S72 78,445 89,075 90,739 92,626 97,475 
			 Spontaneous abortion O03 41,354 43,609 43,425 44,053 46,200 
			 (1 )The data include private patients in the NHS (but not private patients in private hospitals). (2 )The data refers to Finished Consultant Episodes (FCE). An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year. (3) The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. (4 )The figures include people whose gender was not known or not specified. (5 )Figures shown are based on all ages.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics. The Information Centre, 2006 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Finished Consultant Episodes (FCEs)( 1)  among adults aged 35 and over( 2) , with a primary diagnosis of diseases that can be caused by smoking, and the estimated number of these FCEs that can be attributed( 3)  to smoking as a percentage of all admissions from that disease, 2004-05( 4) , in England 
			  Number/percentage 
			  Diagnosis (ICD 10)  Observed FCEs( 5)  Attributable number( 6)  Attributable percentage 
			 All diseases caused in part by smoking 1,573,395 559,800 36 
			 Cancers caused in part by smoking 335,707 172,400 51 
			 Lung 89,547 75,800 85 
			 Upper respiratory sites 18,614 12,900 69 
			 Oesophagus 38,484 26,200 68 
			 Bladder 78,177 30,500 39 
			 Kidney 12,132 3,400 28 
			 Stomach 28,639 7,300 25 
			 Pancreas 22,967 6,000 26 
			 Unspecified site 17,244 6,300 37 
			 Myeloid leukaemia 29,903 4,200 14 
			 Respiratory diseases caused in part by smoking 315,927 177,300 56 
			 Chronic obstructive lung disease 176,294 147,300 84 
			 Pneumonia 139,633 30,000 21 
			 Circulatory diseases caused in part by smoking 636,226 158,100 25 
			 Ischaemic heart disease 419,513 106,200 25 
			 Peripheral Arterial Disease 18,797 15,800 84 
			 Cerebrovascular disease 169,584 24,200 14 
			 Aortic aneurysm 15,457 9,500 62 
			 Myocardial infarction 2,802 600 21 
			 Atherosclerosis 10,073 1,900 19 
			 Diseases of the digestive system caused in part by smoking 59,765 26,400 44 
			 Stomach/duodenal ulcer 41,879 22,200 53 
			 Crohn's disease 15,205 3,000 20 
			 Periodontal disease 2,681 1,200 46 
			 Other diseases caused in part by smoking 225,770 25,500 11 
			 Age related cataract among those aged 45 and over 127,111 15,500 12 
			 Hip fracture among those aged 55 and over 85,641 9,200 11 
			 Spontaneous abortion 13,018 700 6 
			 (1 )An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Figures do not represent the number of patients, as a patient may have more than one episode of care within the year. (2 )Figures have been presented for adults aged 35 and over unless otherwise specified (3 )More information on the methodology used to calculate these estimates are available in the Statistics on Smoking: England, 2006 publication produced by The Information Centre for health and social care, which is available in the House of Commons. (4 )The data include private patients in NHS hospitals (but not private patients in private hospitals). (5 )Observed admissions only includes those where gender was recorded (6 )Estimated attributable number, rounded to the nearest 100. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES). The Information Centre 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3. National health service( 1)  finished consultant episodes (FCEs)( 2)  in Hampshire and Isle of Wight strategic health authority where there was a primary diagnosis( 3)  of diseases that can be caused by smoking, 1996-97 to 2005-06( 4,5) 
			  Finished Consultant Episodes 
			   ICD-10 diagnoses codes  1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 All diseases caused in part by smoking  39,083 42,227 45,139 46,511 49,257 51,104 54,516 58,350 60,982 60,338 
			 
			 Cancers caused in part by smoking  8,401 9,925 9,496 9,578 10,312 10,104 10,403 10,304 10,730 11,218 
			 Lung C33-C34 1,757 2,017 1,851 1,926 2,125 2,176 2,106 1,972 2,063 2,367 
			 Upper respiratory sites C00-C14,C32 475 532 572 477 542 516 511 491 572 527 
			 Oesophagus C15 654 801 797 1,019 1,091 1,152 1,138 1,119 1,043 1,144 
			 Bladder C67 2,486 2,906 2,941 2,758 2,905 2,669 2,771 2,703 2,690 2,711 
			 Kidney C64-C66,C68 355 485 410 429 482 602 575 570 665 631 
			 Stomach C16 633 760 675 757 686 654 741 695 666 563 
			 Pancreas C25 408 415 450 406 547 567 553 587 521 706 
			 Unspecified site C80 519 602 588 531 505 638 855 755 763 575 
			 Myeloid leukaemia C92 1,114 1,407 1,212 1,275 1,429 1,130 1,153 1,412 1,747 1,994 
			 
			 Respiratory diseases caused in part by smoking  5,760 5,834 6,865 7,701 7,489 9,327 10,659 13,354 14,031 13,696 
			 Chronic obstructive lung disease J40-J44 2,517 2,598 3,230 3,516 3,592 4,987 5,655 7,264 7,338 7,043 
			 Pneumonia J10-J18 3,243 3,236 3,635 4,185 3,897 4,340 5,004 6,090 6,693 6,653 
			 
			 Circulatory diseases caused in part by smoking  15,841 16,711 18,222 18,363 20,342 20,370 22,541 23,000 23,451 22,422 
			 Ischaemic heart disease I20-I25 9,737 10,702 11,491 11,446 13,329 13,356 14,650 15,236 15,214 14,385 
			 Peripheral Arterial Disease I739 1,179 997 835 698 839 753 751 684 601 592 
			 Cerebrovascular disease I60-I69 4,226 4,203 4,716 5,135 5,207 5,364 6,030 5,904 6,522 6,229 
			 Aortic aneurysm I71 517 513 614 554 517 507 528 513 565 528 
			 Myocardial degeneration/ infarction I51 67 114 101 110 153 107 135 93 123 236 
			 Atherosclerosis I70 115 182 465 420 297 283 447 570 426 452 
			 Diseases of the digestive system caused in part by smoking  2,793 3,166 3,530 3,550 3,351 3,438 3,231 3,389 3,828 3,943 
			 Stomach/duodenal ulcer K25-K27 1,984 2,094 2,220 2,178 1,893 1,850 1,677 1,508 1,730 1,645 
			 Crohn's disease K50 484 607 599 589 763 989 927 1,124 1,349 1,433 
			 Periodontal disease K05 325 465 711 783 695 599 627 757 749 865 
			 
			 Other diseases caused in part by smoking  6,288 6,591 7,026 7,319 7,763 7,865 7,682 8,303 8,942 9,059 
			 Senile cataract H25 2,005 2,266 2,802 3,074 3,253 3,281 3,115 3,548 4,038 4,119 
			 Hip fracture S72 2,768 2,849 2,934 3,088 3,336 3,421 3,846 3,904 4,048 4,050 
			 Spontaneous abortion O03 1,515 1,476 1,290 1,157 1,174 1,163 721 851 856 890 
			 (1 )The data include private patients in the NHS (but not private patients in private hospitals). (2 )The data refers to Finished Consultant Episodes (FCE). An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that the figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year. (3 )The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in (4 )The figures include people whose gender was not known or not specified. (5 )Figures shown are based on all ages.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics. The Information Centre, 2006

Smoking: Public Expenditure

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department has put in place to monitor the spending by local authorities of money allocated by his Department to enforce the smoking ban.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 April 2007,  Official Report, column 590W.

Surgery

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) in-patient and  (b) day case procedures were carried out (i) in England and (ii) in each strategic health authority area (A) for both elective and non-elective procedures and (B) for elective procedures only in each year since 1997-98; and what percentage of day cases each category represented of the total case procedures delivered in each strategic health authority area in the latest year for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: Information has been placed in the Library.

Vaccination: Aluminium

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what levels of aluminium are contained in each vaccine provided to children; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the safe levels of aluminium in vaccines routinely provided to  (a) babies and  (b) children.

Dawn Primarolo: Aluminium salts are an essential ingredient of some vaccines in enhancing the protection offered by the vaccine. The safety record of aluminium in vaccines has been demonstrated over more than 50 years of use. There are no serious health risks associated with the small quantities of aluminium in some vaccines. As with many vaccine ingredients, aluminium can cause localised reactions such as redness, swelling and/or tenderness at the injection site.
	The information on levels of aluminium in childhood vaccines is in the following table.
	
		
			  Childhood vaccines aluminium content 
			Aluminium content 
			  PL number  Vaccine ( d isease)  Formulation  SPC (2)*  Label 
			 00011/0245 Meningitec Vial (Meningitis C) Aluminium phosphate 0.5mg per 0.5ml 0.125mg A1(3+) Aluminium phosphate 0.125mg A1(3+) 
			 00116/0351 Neisvac-C (Meningitis C) Aluminium hydroxide 0.5mg per 0.5ml Aluminium hydroxide hydrated 0.5mg A1(3+) Aluminium hydroxide hydrated 0.5mg A1(3+) 
			 06745/0076 M-M-R II vaccine injection (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) None present n/a n/a 
			 06745/0120 Pediacel injection (Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and haemophilius influenzae type b (Hib)) Aluminium phosphate 1.5mg per 0.5ml 0.33±0.05mg A1(3+) calculated Aluminium phosphate 
			 06745/0121 Repevax injection (Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio) Aluminium phosphate 0.33mg per 0.5ml 0.33mg Aluminium phosphate 0.33mg 
			 06745/0122 Repevax injection (Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio) Aluminium phosphate 0.33mg per 0.5ml 0.33mg Not legible 
			 06745/0123 Revaxis injection (Tetanus, diphtheria, polio) Aluminium hydroxide 0.35mg per 0.5ml Aluminium hydroxide 0.35mg Not legible 
			 10592/0110 Priorix vaccine injection (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) None present n/a n/a 
			 10592/0209 Infanrix IPV vaccine injection (Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio) Aluminium oxide hydrated 0.5mg 0.5mg Aluminium hydroxide 
			 10592/0216 Infanrix-IPV-Hib vaccine (Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilius influenzae type b (Hib)) Aluminium hydroxide 0.5mg per 0.5ml Aluminium hydroxide hydrated 0.5mg A1(3+) Aluminium hydroxide 
			 10592/0217 Menitorix (Haemophilius influenzae type b (Hib/(Meningitis C)) None present n/a n/a 
			 13767/0013-14 Menjugate vaccine injection and aluminium hydroxide solvent (Meningitis C) Aluminium hydroxide 1mg per 0.5ml Not on sentinel aluminium hydroxide 0.3 to 0.4mg A1(3+) Not on sentinel 
			 EU/1/../167/... Prevenar (Pneumococcal) Aluminium phosphate 0.5mg per 0.5ml Aluminium phosphate 0.5mg Aluminium phosphate 0.5mg 
			  Source: Taken from electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC)

Vaccination: Children

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the vaccines routinely given to  (a) babies and  (b) children.

Dawn Primarolo: The information required is in the following table.
	
		
			  Immunisation schedule 
			  Age  What is given  How it is given 
			 2 months old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and  Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) (DTaP/IPV/Hib) One injection 
			  Pneumococcal infection (Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, PCV) One injection 
			 3 months old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and  Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) (DTaP/IPV/Hib) One injection 
			  Meningitis C (meningococcal group C) (MenC) One injection 
			
			 4 months old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and  Haemophilus influenzas type b (Hib) (DTaP/IPV/Hib) One injection 
			  Meningitis C (meningococcal group C) (MenC) One injection 
			  Pneumococcal infection (Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, PCV) One injection 
			 Around 12 months old  Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) and meningitis C (Hib/MenC) One injection 
			
			 Around 13 months old Measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) (MMR) One injection 
			  Pneumococcal infection (PCV) One injection 
			 3 years and 4 months to 5-years-old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio (dTaP/IPV or DTaP/IPV) One injection 
			  Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) One injection 
			
			 13 to 18-years-old Diphtheria, tetanus, polio (Td/IPV) One injection

York Hospitals NHS Trust

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2006,  Official Report, column 1189W, on York Hospitals NHS Trust, how many finished consultant episodes there were in each specialty at York Hospitals NHS Trust in 2005-06; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The requested information is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Count of Finished Consultant Episodes by Main Specialty for provider code RCB 'York Hospitals NHS Trust' for 2005-06 
			  Main specialty  Main specialty description  FCEs 
			 100 General Surgery 9,512 
			 101 Urology 6,244 
			 110 Trauma and Orthopaedics 5,371 
			 120 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) 2,181 
			 130 Ophthalmology 3,509 
			 140 Oral Surgery 1,574 
			 180 Accident and Emergency 1,693 
			 190 Anaesthetics 2,018 
			 300 General Medicine 20,389 
			 303 Clinical Haematology 1,206 
			 330 Dermatology 26 
			 370 Medical Oncology 225 
			 400 Neurology 468 
			 410 Rheumatology 568 
			 420 Paediatrics 4,835 
			 430 Geriatric Medicine 9,193 
			 502 Gynaecology 9,199 
			 560 Midwife episode 2,998 
			 810 Radiology * 
			 822 Chemical Pathology 376 
			  Notes: 1. Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the year. 2. Main Specialty The main specialty refers to the specialty under which the consultant is contracted. 3. Specialty Care is needed when analysing Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data by specialty, or by groups of specialties (such as acute). Trusts have different ways of managing specialties and attributing codes so it is better to analyse by specific diagnoses, operations or other recorded information. 4. Low Numbers Due to reasons of confidentiality, figures between 1 and 5 have been suppressed and replaced with '*'(an asterisk). 5. Data Quality HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 national health service trusts and primary care trusts in England. The Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. 6. Ungrossed Data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (ie the data are ungrossed).  Source: HES, The Information Centre for Health and Social Care.

York Hospitals NHS Trust

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) average and  (b) maximum waiting time for (i) in-patient and (ii) day case admissions was at York Hospitals NHS Trust for the quarters ending (1) December 2006, (2) March 2007 and (3) June 2007.

Ben Bradshaw: The requested information is show in the following table.
	
		
			   Day case/inpatient  Median wait  Maximum wait 
			 December 2006 Day case 8.5 weeks 25 to <26 weeks 
			 December 2006 Inpatient 7.8 weeks 25 to <26 weeks 
			 March 2007 Day case 6.7 weeks 19 to <20 weeks 
			 March 2007 Inpatient 6.5 weeks 19 to <20 weeks 
			  Source:  Department of Health, NHS Finance, Performance and Operations.

Westmoreland General Hospital

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will consider upgrading Westmorland General Hospital to full district general hospital status;
	(2)  if he will consider supporting the provision of full consultant-led acute admissions services at Westmorland General Hospital.

Ann Keen: It is the responsibility of primary care trusts (PCTs) locally to plan and commission services to meet the needs of its residents and in line with the resources available.
	Proposals relating to the Westmorland General Hospital, which is managed by the University Hospitals of Morecambe Hospital Trust, were consulted on between June and September 2006. The preferred option has since been subject to further work and will now be taken forward as part of the Cumbria whole systems review. Consultation is due to begin in September.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Parental Separation

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans his Department has for ensuring the provision of information and guidance for families where parents have separated.

Kevin Brennan: In March 2006, we published the 'Parenting Plan'. This easily accessible guide for separating parents helps them work out the best possible arrangements for their children, whether or not they then make court applications. CAFCASS distributes the plans, and it provides further information and support to those families involved in family court proceedings. From September 2007, the Legal Services Commission will be testing demand for giving advice over the telephone to people experiencing relationship breakdown.

Admissions

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the school admissions code, with particular reference to places offered for academic year 2007-08.

Jim Knight: Admission arrangements for 2007-08 were determined before the School Admissions Code came into force, but those for 2008-09 will have been determined in accordance with the new code.
	However, the code does require all local authorities to have protocols in place from September 2007, to ensure that all unplaced children and late applicants, including some of our most vulnerable, are offered a place at a suitable school as quickly as possible.

Youth Services

John Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has for expenditure on youth services in Greenwich and Bexley.

Beverley Hughes: It is for each local authority to decide how much to spend on the provision of youth services. They have the freedom to decide the best way of delivering while taking account of Government policy, local priorities and the resources available. The Government do not set a limit on the amount of funding that can be spent from the resources available.

Sure Start

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent progress has been made on Sure Start programmes.

Kevin Brennan: 1,355 Sure Start Children's Centres are now providing integrated services to over one million children under five. We are on track to meet our target of delivering 2,500 centres by 2008. By 2010 there will be at least 3,500 centres serving every community in England, making a vital contribution to our objective of improving outcomes for young children and bringing an end to child poverty.

School Transport: Kettering

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will revise departmental guidelines to local education authorities so that the school bus service from Burton Latimer to Latimer Community Arts College in Barton Seagrave, Kettering can be maintained.

Jim Knight: There are no plans to revise the guidelines to local authorities in relation to school bus provision as the statutory requirements are set out in the Education and Inspections Act 2006. However, from September 2008 any children from low income families who wish to attend Latimer community arts college will have to have free transport provided if it is one of the three nearest qualifying schools to their home and the journey to school is between two and six miles in length.

Family Policy

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he plans to take to develop a cross-government strategy on families policy; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: On 29 June 2007, this Government published "Machinery of Government: Departmental Organisation". It announced our intention to develop a cross-Government strategy on family policy covering both services that support families directly and those that deal with issues of family dysfunction and breakdown. This strategy will be led by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. Its aim will be to ensure consistent policy across Government that works together in the best interests of the child.

Children in Care

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to improve the educational achievement of children in local authority care.

Kevin Brennan: 'Care Matters: Time for Change' sets out an ambitious agenda for improving the lives of children in care, with an additional investment of over £305 million. It includes proposals to improve the education of children in care through a £500 educational allowance for each child in care falling behind at school; putting the 'designated teacher' on a statutory footing to improve provision in schools; appointing 'virtual school heads' to oversee their education; an extra £100 paid into their child trust fund for every year a child is in care; and a £2,000 university bursary.

Fathers

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will bring forward proposals to promote the involvement of fathers in decisions on educating their children; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: We recognise that a father's involvement in their child's life can lead to positive educational achievement and emotional well-being. We are committed to enabling fathers and mothers (whether or not they live with the child) to be involved with their children's education—and our guidance to schools is clear on this. More widely, my Department is currently leading a drive to look at how services across Government can engage with fathers more effectively.

Academies

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 288-90W, on academies, what the contribution from private investors was to each academy's capital costs; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Sponsorship in the form of contributions from private investors was provided for the first Academies in the form of a financial contribution towards the capital cost of buildings. The amount of sponsorship pledged to each Academy, as recorded in its funding agreement where one has been signed, is set out in the table below together with the actual or estimated capital cost of buildings. The following table does not include academies where a sponsor will contribute to capital costs but the funding agreement has not been signed and consequently the sponsorship amount has not been formalised.
	We have now changed the sponsorship model and sponsors will now, in most cases, establish an endowment fund.
	
		
			  £000 
			  Academy with signed funding agreement  Cost  Total sponsorship pledged 
			 Manchester 19,786 2,000 
			 Lambeth 25,445 2,000 
			 Northampton 27,358 2,000 
			 Paddington 31,523 1,500 
			 Salford 16,704 1,600 
			 Barnsley 28,369 1,500 
			 Walthamstowe 29,500 1,500 
			 Sheffield Springs 26,300 1,500 
			 Shefield Park 27,500 1,000 
			 Stockport 27,375 1,500 
			 Peckham 30,169 2,000 
			 Harris Academy South Norwood 35,991 2,000 
			 Harris Bermondsey 17,270 1,500 
			 Harris Merton 5,297 500 
			 Kings 22,301 2,000 
			 Trinity, Doncaster 25,070 2,000 
			 Haberdashers'—Hatcham 7,045 705 
			 Haberdashers'—Knights 40,455 296 
			 Marlowe 27,803 2,735 
			 Folkestone 36,820 2,250 
			 Walsall 17,321 2,500 
			 Sandwell 27,149 2,790 
			 Bexley 38,631 2,410 
			 Greig 16,479 2,000 
			 Unity 21,790 2,000 
			 Capital City, Brent 27,494 2,000 
			 City of London 33,685 2,000 
			 City Academy, Bristol 27,666 2,499 
			 West London, Ealing 32,221 2,000 
			 London, Barnet 34,356 1,500 
			 Mossbourne 28,624 2,150 
			 Stockley 27,549 2,000 
			 St Francis of Assisi 20,868 2,000 
			 The Harefield 34,200 1,500 
			 Dixons Academy 6,510 651 
			 David Young, Leeds 23,577 1,500 
			 Grace, Solihull 31,637 2,000 
			 Westminster 30,440 2,000 
			 Thomas Deacon 47,738 10,500 
			 St. Paul's—Greenwich (1)n/a 2,000 
			 John Madejski, Reading 27,656 2,000 
			 The Bridge, Hackney 47,722 2,000 
			 Samworth Enterprise 19,502 2,443 
			 Petchey 34,215 2,000 
			 North Liverpool 33,849 1,000 
			 Bradford Cathedral 20,471 1,000 
			 Macmillan 13,035 1,250 
			 Djanogly 23,660 0 
			 St Matthew Lewisham 30,856 2,000 
			 Enfield 29,296 2,000 
			 Slough Langley 31 ,527 2,000 
			 Leigh Technology 36,590 2,000 
			 St. Mary Magdalene—Islington 40,022 2,000 
			 Bristol—Withywood 29,200 2,000 
			 Newcastle Excelsior 37,883 2,000 
			 Corby City 27,109 2,000 
			 Ashcroft Technology 12,928 960 
			 Landau Forte College 4,600 460 
			 (1 )Costs not yet established

Academies

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 288-90W, on academies, what the  (a) start date for building and  (b) opening date or expected opening date is of each academy; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Academies are run by charitable trusts. Academy trusts are responsible for managing the building projects for academies approved before 23 March 2006, when it was announced that Partnerships for Schools (PfS) would take on responsibility for the academies buildings programme. The Department does not keep central records of the start dates for buildings where the construction was managed by academy trusts.
	The start date for each building project delivered by PfS will be agreed during the contractual negotiations with the selected contractor. None of the academy building projects that PfS are delivering have yet reached this stage.
	As a planning assumption, the average length of the construction period for an academy building is taken to be 18 months.
	The opening dates or expected opening dates for academies are given in the following table.
	Where there is an urgent educational need, some academies begin life in the predecessor school buildings. The first 47 academies on this list are open, expected opening dates are given for the rest of the academies on the list.
	
		
			   Academy name  Opening date or expected opening date 
			 1 Bexley Business Academy September 2002 
			 2 Greig City Academy September 2002 
			 3 Unity City Academy September 2002 
			 4 Walsall City Academy September 2003 
			 5 Capital City Academy September 2003 
			 6 King's Academy September 2003 
			 7 The West London Academy September 2003 
			 8 Djanogly City Academy September 2003 
			 9 The Academy at Peckham September 2003 
			 10 Bristol City Academy September 2003 
			 11 Manchester Academy September 2003 
			 12 City of London Academy September 2003 
			 13 Lambeth Academy September 2004 
			 14 Stockley Academy September 2004 
			 15 Mossbourne Community Academy September 2004 
			 16 Northampton Academy September 2004 
			 17 London Academy September 2004 
			 18 The Academy of St. Francis of Assisi September 2005 
			 19 Trinity Academy September 2005 
			 20 Marlowe Academy September 2005 
			 21 Salford City Academy September 2005 
			 22 Dixons City Academy September 2005 
			 23 Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham Academy September 2005 
			 24 Haberdashers' Knights Academy September 2005 
			 25 Sandwell Academy September 2006 
			 26 Grace Academy Solihull September 2006 
			 27 David Young Community Academy September 2006 
			 28 St. Paul's Academy September 2005 
			 29 Harefield Academy September 2005 
			 30 Macmillan Academy September 2005 
			 31 Barnsley Academy September 2006 
			 32 The Petchey Academy September 2006 
			 33 North Liverpool Academy September 2006 
			 34 The John Madejski Academy September 2006 
			 35 Westminster Academy September 2006 
			 36 Paddington Academy September 2006 
			 37 Sheffield Springs September 2006 
			 38 Sheffield Park September 2006 
			 39 Walthamstow Academy September 2006 
			 40 Landau Forte College September 2006 
			 41 Gateway Academy September 2006 
			 42 The Harris Bermondsey Academy September 2006 
			 43 The Burlington Danes Academy September 2006 
			 44 Harris Girls Academy East Dulwich September 2006 
			 45 St. Mark's CofE September 2006 
			 46 Harris Academy Merton September 2006 
			 47 Madeley Academy April 2007 
			 48 The St. Matthew Academy September 2007 
			 49 Leigh Technology Academy September 2007 
			 50 Folkestone Academy September 2007 
			 51 Bradford Academy September 2007 
			 52 The Harris Academy South Norwood September 2007 
			 53 Oasis Academy Enfield September 2007 
			 54 St. Mary Magdalene Academy September 2007 
			 55 The Samworth Enterprise Academy September 2007 
			 56 The Thomas Deacon Academy September 2007 
			 57 Harris City Academy Crystal Palace September 2007 
			 58 Ashcroft Technology Academy September 2007 
			 59 John Cabot Academy September 2007 
			 60 The Bridge Academy September 2007 
			 61 Oasis Academy Immingham September 2007 
			 62 Oasis Academy Wintringham September 2007 
			 63 Stockport Academy September 2007 
			 64 Bacon's A Church of England Sponsored Academy September 2007 
			 65 William Hulme's Grammar School September 2007 
			 66 King Soloman Academy September 2007 
			 67 The Belvedere Academy September 2007 
			 68 North Oxfordshire Academy September 2007 
			 69 Swindon Academy September 2007 
			 70 Spires Academy September 2007 
			 71 The Marsh September 2007 
			 72 Brooke Weston Academy September 2008 
			 73 Darwen Aldridge Community Academy September 2008 
			 74 Langley Academy September2008 
			 75 The Corby Business Academy September2008 
			 76 Herefordshire 1 (Steiner) September2008 
			 77 The Globe Academy September2008 
			 78 Evelyn Grace Academy September2008 
			 79 Excelsior Academy September 2008 
			 80 Q3 Academy September 2008 
			 81 Merchants' Academy Withywood September 2008 
			 82 City of London Academy Islington September 2008 
			 83 Sandwell Willingsworth September 2008 
			 84 Grace Academy Coventry September 2008 
			 85 Harris Boys Academy East Dulwich September 2008 
			 86 Wren Academy September 2008 
			 87 The Rhodesway Academy September 2008 
			 88 City of London KPMG Academy September 2009 
			 89 JCB Academy September 2009 
			 90 Bede Academy September 2009 
			 91 The Chelsea Science Academy September 2009

Academies: Accounts

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether  (a) members of local governing bodies and  (b) parents are entitled to ask to inspect the financial accounts of academy schools.

Jim Knight: Academies are charitable companies, and therefore must prepare and file annual accounts with the Charity Commission. Academies are also required to prepare an annual report for the Charity Commissioners, and ensure that their accounts are independently audited. All accounts are available from the Charity Commission's website at:
	http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/

Academies: Capital Investment

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of capital investment on schools was accounted for by capital investment in academies in each year from 2001-02 to 2006-07; what proportion is planned to be so accounted for in each year from 2007-08 to 2015-16 for which plans have been made; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The following table details the capital provision for academies as a proportion of the corresponding figure for all schools, where such provision is known.
	Budgets for subsequent years will depend on the final allocation of the Department's current and future Comprehensive Spending Review settlements.
	
		
			   All schools  Academies (£ million)  Academies as a proportion of all schools (%) 
			 2001-02(1) (1)2,409.0 4.2 0.2 
			 2002-03(1) (1)3,483.0 61.8 1.8 
			 2003-04(1) (1)4,144.0 130.3 3.1 
			 2004-05(1) (1)4,861.0 222.1 4.6 
			 2005-06(1) (1)5,262.0 251.7 4.8 
			 2006-07(2) (1)4,984.0 385.7 7.7 
			 2007-08(3) (3)6,320.0 517.0 8.2 
			 (1 )Actual outturn (2 )Estimated outturn (3 )Current baseline

Academies: Curriculum

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what changes there have been since 1 January 2007 in the freedoms enjoyed by academies in relation to the curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In his statement to the House of 10 July 2007, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families announced that all future funding agreements will require Academies to follow the National Curriculum Programmes of Study in English, Maths, Science and ICT.
	The Department will not seek to change the curriculum requirements of Academies which have Funding Agreements already, but we would welcome any move by Academy Trusts to voluntarily adopt the new clause. Five Academies which are planned to open in September 2007 have already agreed that they will either sign or amend their existing Funding Agreements to incorporate these changes.

Academies: Governing Bodies

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families from what date academies were required to have one elected parent governor and one governor appointed by the local authority; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: All Academy governing bodies have been required to include a parent governor and a local authority governor since the first Academies were opened in September 2002. This is incorporated in their Memorandum and Articles of Association which forms part of their Funding Agreement.

Academies: Local Authorities

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many academies have been co-sponsored by local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department welcomes and values the input and influence of local authorities in academy projects as partners and/or co-sponsors. 20 academies have been co-sponsored by local authorities to date.

Academies: Sponsorship

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what total sponsorship each academy  (a) has received to date and  (b) has had pledged; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Sponsorship for the first academies was provided in the form of a financial contribution towards the capital cost of buildings. However, we have changed the sponsorship model and sponsors will now, in most cases, establish an endowment fund. To date, only one open academy, St. Mark's Academy in Merton, has this form of sponsorship. The amount of sponsorship pledged to each academy and recorded in their funding agreement is set out in the following table. The total sponsorship contribution is broken down and made to academy trusts in instalments to pay invoices over the lifetime of the building project. Trusts submit the invoices to the Department to confirm that sponsorship has been paid and used in accordance with funding agreements. In many instances, the invoices sent to the Department to confirm the capital contribution by the sponsor, also shown in the following table, do not keep pace with the actual payments made by the sponsor to the trust. If confirmation of the sponsor's capital contribution falls significantly behind the expected payment profile, officials approach academy trusts direct seeking explanations for apparent shortfalls, with a view to regularising the position.
	
		
			  £000 
			  Academy with signed funding agreement  Total sponsorship pledged  Total confirmed capital contribution from sponsor to end of June 2007 
			 Manchester 2,000 (3)1,353 
			 Lambeth 2,000 (3)1,686 
			 Northampton 2,000 (3)799 
			 Paddington 1,500 (3)429 
			 Salford 1,600 (3)214 
			 Barnsley 1,500 (3)27 
			 Walthamstow 1,500 (3)27 
			 Sheffield Springs 1,500 1,500 
			 Sheffield Park 1,000 1,000 
			 Stockport 1,500 (3)202 
			 Peckham 2,000 2,986 
			 Harris Academy South Norwood 2,000 (5)250 
			 Harris Bermondsey 1,500 (2)0 
			 Harris Merton 500 (2)0 
			 Kings 2,000 2,006 
			 Trinity, Doncaster 2,000 2,000 
			 Haberdashers'—Hatcham 705 705 
			 Haberdashers'— Knights 296 296 
			 Marlowe 2,735 (3)2,455 
			 Folkestone 2,250 (3)887 
			 Walsall 2,500 2,565 
			 Sandwell 2,790 (3)2,119 
			 Bexley 2,410 2,462 
			 Greig 2,000 (3)1,664 
			 Unity 2,000 1,948 
			 Capital City, Brent 2,000 1,993 
			 City of London 2,000 2,000 
			 City Academy, Bristol 2,499 (3)1,670 
			 West London, Ealing 2,000 2,000 
			 London, Barnet 1,500 1,490 
			 Mossbourne 2,150 (3)1,631 
			 Stockley 2,000 1,953 
			 St. Francis of Assisi 2,000 (5)950 
			 The Harefield 1,500 (4)42 
			 Dixons CTC 651 612 
			 David Young, Leeds 1,500 (5)1,000 
			 Grace, Solihull 2,000 2,000 
			 Westminster 2,000 (2)0 
			 Thomas Deacon 10,500 (2)0 
			 St Paul's—Greenwich 2,000 (3)200 
			 John Madejski, Reading 2,000 (3)1,895 
			 The Bridge, Hackney 2,000 (4)487 
			 Samworth Enterprise 2,443 (3)131 
			 Petchey 2,000 (3)1,545 
			 North Liverpool 1,000 (4)0 
			 Bradford Cathedral 1,000 (2)0 
			 Macmillan 1,250 (3)400 
			 Djanogly 0 0 
			 St. Matthew Lewisham 2,000 (4)600 
			 Enfield 2,000 (2)0 
			 Slough Langley 2,000 (3)500 
			 Leigh Technology 2,000 (2)0 
			 St. Mary Magdalene—Islington 2,000 (3)500 
			 Bristol 2 Withywood 2,000 (2)0 
			 Newcastle Excelsior 2,000 1,961 
			 Corby City 2,000 (2)0 
			 Ashcroft Technology 960 (2)0 
			 Landau Forte College 460 (3)2 
			 St. Mark's Academy—Merton 2,000 (1)0 
			 (1) £2 million sponsorship to be invested in endowment fund as opposed to towards capital costs. (2) None due to be paid up to end June 2007. (3) Amount paid up to end June 2007 in accordance with the agreed pattern of instalments. (4) Instalment plan to be revised pending re-schedule of building works. (5) In discussion with trust with a view to agreeing payment later this year.

Adoption: Finance

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to unify funding streams for the provision of post-adoptive care.

Kevin Brennan: A ring-fenced grant totalling nearly £70 million was made available to local authorities between 2003-04 and 2005-06 to help them meet their duties in relation to the provision of adoption support and special guardianship support services under the Adoption and Children Act 2002. This grant has now been mainstreamed into the Children's Services Grant.

Bishops Park College: Clacton

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what his Department's involvement was in the decision to build Bishops Park College in Clacton; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether Bishops Park College in Clacton was built as part of the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme.

Jim Knight: Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is a core part of the Department's capital strategy, providing a new approach to capital investment in secondary schools. The programme was launched in 2004 and the first school opened in 2006.
	Bishops Park College, Clacton, was not built as part of BSF. The school opened in 2002 in temporary accommodation and moved to new buildings, funded through the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), in 2005.
	Local authorities are responsible for planning provision in their areas. The Secretary of State had no role in deciding the proposals to establish this school. However, as with other schools PFI projects, the Department did review and approve Essex County Council's bid for this project in 2000, the outline business case in 2001, and the final business case in 2003.
	The original expression of interest was assessed by officials against the published criteria at the time. These criteria included the sufficiency, condition and suitability of existing facilities, wider Departmental priorities and initiatives, and wider Government priorities and objectives. The project was prioritised for funding on this basis, but it remained the local authority's responsibility to develop the project and demonstrate its viability.

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what average length of time was taken for preparation of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service welfare reports in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many people were employed by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many cases were dealt with by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: These are matters for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). Anthony Douglas, the Chief Executive, has written to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his letter has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Anthony Douglas, dated 25 July 2007:
	I am writing to you in response to the three Parliamentary Questions that you tabled recently:
	15001—To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what average length of time was taken for preparation of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service welfare reports in each of the last five years.
	In 2006/07 the average public law case duration was 43 weeks and the average private law report duration was 17 weeks. This was the first year CAFCASS could collect these figures, following the introduction of our national case management system. Prior to this, the pre-CAFCASS legacy systems prevented us being able to arrive at a robust national figure.
	150002—To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many people were employed by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in each of the last five years.
	The table below details the number of staff Cafcass has employed over the last 5 years.
	
		
			   All staff  Practitioners 
			  Date  Headcount  Full Time Equivalent  Headcount  Full Time Equivalent 
			 1 April 2002 1,720 1,488 1,136 1,022 
			 1 April 2003 1,879 1,659 1,291 1,163 
			 1 April 2004 1,932 1,758 1,303 1,186 
			 1 April 2005 2,060 1,801 1,327 1,210 
			 1 April 2006 2,051 1,724 1,243 1,137 
			 1 April 2007 2,006 1,704 1,216 1,109 
		
	
	150003—To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, how many cases were dealt with by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in each of the last five years.
	The table below details the Cafcass workload over in the last 5 years, for the major categories of referral. The table demonstrates the steady rise in public law care cases, and the steady decrease in private law reports, strongly linked to the expansion of our dispute resolution services.
	
		
			   Year 
			  Category  2002/03  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07 
			 Public Law Care cases 6,394 6,036 6,316 6,613 6,791 
			 Public Law Other cases 6,708 6,485 6,124 6,162 5,313 
			 Private Law reports 35,074 31,048 28,166 26,144 23,942 
			 Family Assistance Orders 503 522 530 645 351 
			 Rule 9.5 cases (1)— 526 1,078 1,035 1,206 
			 Dispute Resolutions Hours (1)— 35,339 34,988 43,322 57,880 
			 (1) Scheme not yet in place 
		
	
	The above figures cannot be totalled as some of the categories use different measurements. The figures for Public Law Care and Public Law Other are counted as cases, Private Law figures are counted as reports (of which there can be many per case), and Dispute Resolution figures are counted in practitioner hours. Also included are counts of Family Assistance Order and Rule 9.5 cases. The figures have been grouped together in a table to provide an overview of Cafcass work for the past 5 years.
	A copy of this reply will be placed in the House Library.

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service: Manpower

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what the ratio of staff to cases in  (a) public and  (b) private law is at the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service;
	(2)  by what means the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service monitors the effectiveness of its interventions.

Kevin Brennan: These are matters for the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). Anthony Douglas, the chief executive, will write to the hon. Member with this information and a copy of his letter will be placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Anthony Douglas, dated 20 July 2007:
	I am writing to you in response to the two Parliamentary Questions that you tabled recently.
	149742—To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, what the ratio of staff to cases in (a) public and (b) private law is at the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.
	Cafcass does not categorise practitioners in this way. All Cafcass practitioners are qualified to work on both public and private law cases and, because of variations in demand in any local area at any given point in time, this is essential to ensure capacity to cover all types of cases. Local demand can vary by up to 20% in any type of case in a year. We are developing new services such as duty schemes, and extending our dispute resolution (DR) schemes, evidenced by the increase in DR hours during 2006/07: a rise in 33.6%. Currently Cafcass has 1340 employed practitioners who may complete either around 55 private law cases a year, or around 12 public law cases or work on dispute resolution or extended dispute resolution which we measure in hours worked. In addition Cafcass has access to self-employed contractors and staff registered on a bank scheme. These are used as budget permits to cover peaks in referrals.
	149749—To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, by what means the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service monitors the effectiveness of its interventions.
	Cafcass has a quality assurance system in which we assure all aspects of our work on an ongoing basis. We have recently implemented a new electronic case management system, which will help to track cases if they return to court. We are monitoring the effectiveness of our dispute resolution work by tracking how many of our dispute resolution interventions result in partial or complete agreement being reached or are referred for section 7 reports. Based on a sample of Feb/March 2007 data, only 20.7 % of section 8 referred for dispute resolution were not resolved at least in part and referred for a section 7 report.
	Feedback from Service users is part of our quality assurance system and helps us to know how effective our interventions have been. Cafcass relies on a mixture of service user (including children) feedback and external research. Over 250 children have used our online feedback system and reported very high satisfaction rates. All work is quality assured to ensure that it is of a good standard and meets Cafcass National Standards and Cafcass policies. Practitioners also receive one to one supervision from their line manager and an annual appraisal.
	A copy of this reply will be placed in the House Library.

Children: Adoption

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to simplify the system for the provision of care for adopted children with learning, behavioural or mental problems.

Kevin Brennan: The Adoption Support Services Regulations 2005 require local authorities to make a range of adoption support services available in their area to meet the needs of people affected by adoption.
	Adoption support services include: financial support; discussion groups; assistance in relation to contact (including mediation services); therapeutic services for adoptive children; assistance to maintain the relationship between an adoptive child and his adoptive parent (including training for adoptive parents to meet any special needs of the child and respite care); assistance where disruption has occurred, or is in danger of occurring; and counselling, advice and information.
	In addition, local authorities are required to appoint an Adoption Support Services Adviser (ASSA). The role of the adviser is to give advice and information to those affected by adoption regarding the services that are available within their area and how those services can be accessed.
	There are no current plans to change these arrangements.

Class Sizes: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average pupil-to-teacher ratio in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in York was in each year since 2004.

Jim Knight: The following table provides pupil:teacher ratios in local authority maintained primary and secondary schools in York local authority, January 2004 to 2006.
	
		
			  Pupil:  teacher ratios in local authority maintained primary and secondary schools in York local authority, January 2004 to 2006 
			  As of January:  Primary  Secondary 
			 2004 22.7 16.0 
			 2005 23.0 15.6 
			 2006 21.7 15.9 
			  Note: PTRs are calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll in schools by the total FTE number of qualified teachers regularly employed in schools.  Source: DCSF School Census.

Departments: Flint Bishop Solicitors

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether  (a) his Department and its predecessor and  (b) its agencies have made payments to Flint Bishop solicitors since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: I can confirm that the Department for Children, Schools and Families and its predecessor the Department for Education and Skills have no record of any payments to Flint Bishop solicitors during the last seven years. The Department does not hold data prior to financial year 1999-2000.
	The Department does not have any Executive Agencies.

Departments: Personnel

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many staff in his Department did not achieve an acceptable mark in their annual report in 2006-07.

Kevin Brennan: The Department places the same key priority to managing the performance of our people as the former DfES, and have the same robust mechanisms to ensure that we do so.
	In 2006-07, there were two performance categories for DfES staff whose performance was not deemed to be at an acceptable level and therefore an improvement plan or management action was required. In total, there were 111 staff who met this criteria in 2006-07, this equated to 3 per cent. of our work force.

Departments: Sick Leave

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of sick leave taken by staff in his Department was stress-related in each of the last three years.

Kevin Brennan: The information is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Percentage stress  related sick leave 
			 2006/07 14 
			 2005 10 
			 2004 11 
		
	
	The information for 2004 and 2005 is in calendar years whereas 2006/07 is by financial year.
	The Department remains committed, like the former DfES, to providing a safe working environment and has put in place a range of measures to support managers and employees on health and wellbeing issues, including the provision of professional counselling, awareness sessions and support from the Department's Employee Assistance Provider, Right Corecare. This is complemented by internal procedures aimed at ensuring consistent standards of behaviour and enabling fair and prompt mediation in the event of any grievance.
	The Department will be launching a new Stress Prevention Policy, based on the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Management Standards in the near future. The policy has been designed to support individuals and their managers, signposting them to appropriate sources of help. In addition to this the Department has piloted the HSE Stress Questionnaire in one Division and conducted Individual Stress Risk Assessments for employees who require them.

Further Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his latest estimate is of the  (a) number and  (b) proportion of (i) 17-year-olds, (ii) 18-year-olds and (iii) 16-year-olds who are not in education or training; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The figures provided in the table are for individuals at academic age 16, 17 and 18(1) who were estimated to be not in education or training (NET) in 2006.
	(1) Academic age is the age of the individual measured at the beginning of the academic year, 31 August.
	
		
			  Age  16  17  18 
			 Total NET 68,500 121,900 264,200 
			 Proportion NET (%) 10.3 18.5 38.9 
			 Population 662,300 659,500 679,800 
		
	
	These NET figures are calculated by subtracting the number of young people estimated to be in education and training from the population; here education and training covers those in full- or part-time education, work-based learning (including apprenticeships), and those on employer funded or other education and training not otherwise included in the figures.
	These figures are available in the Statistical First Release published by the Department in SFR 22/2007, please see the following web link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000734/sfr22_2007.pdf.

Further Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what duties will be placed on  (a) parents and  (b) employers to ensure that all those under the age of 18 years are in education or training; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In the Green Paper Raising Expectations: staying in education and training post-16 we did not propose that any specific duties be placed on parents. Employers have an existing obligation to release employees requesting time off for training in certain circumstances. If the participation age is extended, we proposed that where employers do not want to or are unable to offer training themselves; they would be required to release their employees for a day a week to undertake training elsewhere. These proposals can be accessed at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/6965-DfES-Raising%20Expectations%20Green%20Paper.pdf.
	We intend to publish proposals in the autumn and will of course place copies in the House Library.

Further Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what sanctions will be used against parents who fail to take reasonable steps to ensure that their children participate in education or training up to the age 18 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In the Green Paper we said that we would expect parents to encourage and facilitate their child's participation, and if there is evidence that a parent of a young person is helping them break the law (for example, by employing a 16 or 17-year-old full-time in a family business without accredited training), it should be possible to hold them accountable as well. These proposals can be accessed at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/6965-DfES-Raising%20Expectations%20Green%20Paper.pdf.
	We intend to publish proposals in the autumn and will of course place copies in the House Library.

Further Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what inspection and enforcement powers will be granted in order to impose an obligation for all those aged up to 18 years to be in education or training; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In the Green Paper we proposed that, if a young person continued to refuse to participate, despite the efforts of providers and the local authority to help and support them onto a programme of learning, they could be issued with a new type of civil order called an Attendance Order. The process of issuing an Attendance Order would be initiated by the local authority. The Attendance Order would specify exactly what was expected of a young person. We proposed two options for ensuring that if Attendance Orders are made they are followed: that criminal sanctions be pursued, or civil/administrative ones. These proposals can be accessed at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/6965-DfES-Raising%20Expectations%20Green%20Paper.pdf.
	We intend to publish proposals in the autumn and will of course place copies in the House Library.

Further Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what representations he has received from business groups on raising to 18 years the minimum age at which young people can leave education or training.

Jim Knight: In response our consultation, we have received written responses from the following business groups:
	Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network, Association of Accounting Technicians, The British Chambers of Commerce, Confederation of British Industry, Confederation of West Midlands Chambers of Commerce and Industry, DCL Consulting Ltd, EEF, E-skills UK, Federation of Small Businesses, Four S Consultancy, Glass Training Ltd, IGEN, Ignite Futures Ltd, Institute of Directors, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Lantra, Learning Etc, LLUK, MCCH Society Ltd, Macro, NETA Ltd, Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd, SEMTA, SkillsActive, Skillsmart Retail, Small Business Council, Sysco Business Skills Academy Ltd, Tesco.

Further Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the  (a) costs and  (b) benefits of raising to 18 years the minimum age at which young people can leave education or training; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 17 July 2007,  Official Report, column 303W.

Further Education: Great Yarmouth

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of pupils in Great Yarmouth went on to further education in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Jim Knight: The data published by the Department on participation figures in education, training and employment by 16-18 year olds in England does not include details on Great Yarmouth, but does include data at a higher level of aggregation for the Norfolk local education authority. These figures are presented in the following table for individuals at academic age 16(1) who participated in education in 1997 and 2005.
	(1 )Academic age is the age of the individual measured at the beginning of the academic year, 31 August.
	Local authority figures only contain estimates for the end of 2005 as the provisional Further Education Institution data is not robust enough at the local level to allow accurate reporting. The end of 2006 local authority data will be published in 2008.
	
		
			   Full-time education  Total  
			   Maintained schools( 1)  Independent schools( 2)  Sixth form college  Other FE( 3)  Total  WBL  Part-time education  Education and WBL( 4)  Population 
			 Number, 1997 2,700 500 600 2,500 6,400 800 600 7,400 9,000 
			 Percentage, 1997 30 5 7 27 69 8 6 80 — 
			 Number, 2005 (provisional) 2,800 400 800 3,000 7,100 600 500 8,200 9,700 
			 Percentage, 2005 (provisional) 29 5 9 31 73 6 5 85 — 
			 (1) Includes all pupils in maintained schools and maintained special schools. (2) Includes all pupils in independent schools, non-maintained special schools, city technology colleges, academies and pupil referral units. (3 )Includes all learners in General FE, tertiary and specialist colleges (e.g. agriculture colleges). (4 )Total of all full-time and part-time education and WBL, less WBL provision in education institutions. 
		
	
	These figures are available in the Statistical First Release published by the Department in SFR 22/2007, please see the following web link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000734/sfr22_2007.pdf.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of GCSE entries from  (a) independent schools and  (b) state schools scored an A* or A grade in each year since 1990-91.

Jim Knight: The information requested can be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what average mark was necessary to secure an  (a) A* grade,  (b) A grade,  (c) B grade and  (d) C grade in GCSE (i) English, (ii) mathematics, (iii) physics, (iv) history, (v) geography, (vi) French, (vi) Latin and (vii) chemistry in each year since 1991-92.

Jim Knight: This information is not held centrally.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in what proportion of English secondary schools less than  (a) 50 per cent.,  (b) 40 per cent.,  (c) 30 per cent.,  (d) 20 per cent.,  (e) 10 per cent. and  (f) 5 per cent. of pupils received five GCSEs at A*-C in the last period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The number of maintained mainstream schools where less than  (a) 50 per cent.  (b) 40 per cent.  (c) 30 per cent. and  (d) 20 per cent. of pupils received five GCSEs at grades A*-C is available in Table 7 of the Statistical First Release:
	GCSE and Equivalent Examination Results in England 2005/06.
	
		
			  Number of maintained mainstream schools( 1)  by percentage of 15-year-old pupils( 2)  achieving 5+ A*-C at GCSE and equivalents 
			Percentage of pupils achieving 5+ A*-C grades at GCSE and 
			  School type  Total number of schools  0-14  15-19  20-24  25-29  30-39  40-49 
			 All maintained mainstream schools(1) 2005/06 3,072 7 8 32 87 353 588 
			 (1) Including only those maintained mainstream schools with results published in the 2006 Achievement and Attainment tables. (2) Age at start of academic year i.e. 31 August. 
		
	
	In 2006, there was one maintained mainstream school in which 0 per cent. of pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A*-C at GCSE. This is the only school that falls into categories  (e) less than 10 per cent. and  (f) less than 5 per cent. This pupil only had three pupils aged 15(1).
	(1)( )Aged 15 on the 31 August 2005.

National Council for Educational Excellence

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what the responsibilities are of the National Council for Educational Excellence;
	(2)  how members of the National Council for Educational Excellence were selected;
	(3)  what the budget is for the National Council for Educational Excellence;
	(4)  what steps the National Council for Educational Excellence will take to promote educational excellence.

Jim Knight: The National Council for Educational Excellence (NCEE) has a remit to provide advice to the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families about strategy and measures to achieve world-class education performance for all children and young people from birth to age 19.
	The council is focused on providing advice and mobilising all sectors to provide the support to increase standards. Council members will act as advocates and champions to transform expectations and aspirations for the education system, and to rally the teaching profession, businesses, the third sector, universities and colleges, schools, and parents to raise standards year on year.
	The Government will work with the council to mobilise the nation's energies, and to consider how the council's advice could be implemented. The council currently has a team of three members of staff within the Department for Children, Schools and Families dedicated to providing secretariat support. The full monthly economic cost of those staff and other administrative costs associated with the council is approximately £26,300.
	NCEE members were selected by the Prime Minister and Secretary of State on the basis of their professional experience, expertise, status and personal qualities. The council is a standing body with priorities, terms of reference and membership to be reviewed by the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State every year.

Primary Education: School Day

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what average number of hours  (a) primary school age and  (b) secondary school age pupils spent in school in each year since 1985-86; and what figure has been estimated for 2007-08.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Private Education: Special Educational Needs

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of public spending on private education for children with special educational needs in each year since 1997-98; how much has been allocated for this purpose in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The requested information is provided in the following table:
	
		
			   £ 
			 1999-2000 272,760,000 
			 2000-01 287,821,000 
			 2001-02 305,782,000 
			 2002-03 309,646,000 
			 2003-04 394,609,000 
			 2004-05 441,977,000 
			 2005-06 481,127,000 
			 2006-07 506,920,000 
			 2007-08(1) 552,694,000 
			 (1) 2007-08 data is provisional and is therefore subject to change by the local authority.  Notes: 1. Includes all planned net expenditure on the payment of fees in respect of pupils with special educational needs at independent schools or non-maintained special schools. This includes any planned expenditure funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and, from 2006-07 onwards, SEN payments to Acadamies are also included within this line. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000.  Source: The data are drawn from local authorities Section 52 Budget Statements (Tables 1) submitted to the DfES. Data are not available prior to the inception of Section 52 for the 1999-2000 financial year.

Schools and Pupils: Offensive Weapons

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what steps are being taken by the Government to reduce the number of students in possession of a weapon on school property;
	(2)  how many schools in each local education authority  (a) have introduced and  (b) plan to introduce metal detectors to search for weapons amongst pupils in each of the last 10 years, broken down by type of school.

Jim Knight: Knife incidents in schools in England are extremely rare. To help maintain that, we gave head teachers a power, from May 2007, to search a pupil without consent when, after screening with metal detectors or on other grounds, they suspect the presence of a weapon. This supports the efforts of the police to reduce crime by and against young people on the streets around schools and supplements initiatives by the Department for Children, Schools and Families on, for example, improving behaviour and learning about responsibility, conflict resolution and safety. We do not burden schools by asking them to report whether they do or will screen. We intend to continue taking the views of our Working Group on School Security on all aspects of screening and searching, in particular in order to review the statutory power to search after three years.

Pupils: Per Capita Funding

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the funding per pupil in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in each English local education authority in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The revenue funding figures per pupil aged 3-10 and 11-15 for 2005-06 are provided in the following table. In 2006-07 the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) was introduced. As the DSG is a mechanism for distributing funding there is not a primary/secondary split available for 2006-07 onwards. These figures are in cash terms.
	
		
			   Primary  (3-10 year olds)  Secondary  (11-15 year olds) 
			 Barking and Dagenham 4,320 5,320 
			 Barnet 4,230 5,190 
			 Barnsley 3,760 4,700 
			 Bath and North East — — 
			 Somerset 3,440 4,230 
			 Bedfordshire 3,640 4,550 
			 Bexley 3,750 4,680 
			 Birmingham 4,200 5,280 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 4,170 5,100 
			 Blackpool 3,750 4,750 
			 Bolton 3,800 4,600 
			 Bournemouth 3,470 4,340 
			 Bracknell Forest 3,700 4,790 
			 Bradford 4,020 5,030 
			 Brent 4,810 6,110 
			 Brighton and Hove 3,840 4,800 
			 Bristol, City of 3,880 5,090 
			 Bromley 3,770 4,790 
			 Buckinghamshire 3,680 4,550 
			 Bury 3,610 4,460 
			 Calderdale 3,730 4,600 
			 Cambridgeshire 3,610 4,400 
			 Camden 5,700 6,860 
			 Cheshire 3,480 4,280 
			 Cornwall 3,640 4,390 
			 Coventry 3,900 4,800 
			 Croydon 4,080 5,260 
			 Cumbria 3,690 4,460 
			 Darlington 3,710 4,610 
			 Derby 3,780 4,680 
			 Derbyshire 3,520 4,300 
			 Devon 3,580 4,330 
			 Doncaster 3,830 4,750 
			 Dorset 3,440 4,260 
			 Dudley 3,560 4,460 
			 Durham 3,780 4,650 
			 Ealing 4,660 5,900 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 3,510 4,240 
			 East Sussex 3,750 4,650 
			 Enfield 4,280 5,230 
			 Essex 3,690 4,580 
			 Gateshead 3,810 4,860 
			 Gloucestershire 3,500 4,300 
			 Greenwich 5,190 6,520 
			 Hackney 5,910 7,870 
			 Halton 4,040 5,070 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 5,520 6,870 
			 Hampshire 3,520 4,370 
			 Haringey 4,930 6,440 
			 Harrow 4,220 5,170 
			 Hartlepool 3,930 4,910 
			 Havering 3,720 4,740 
			 Herefordshire 3,780 4,530 
			 Hertfordshire 3,610 4,480 
			 Hillingdon 4,110 5,100 
			 Hounslow 4,530 5,510 
			 Isle of Wight 3,780 4,720 
			 Islington 5,700 7,290 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 5,700 7,240 
			 Kent 3,670 4,610 
			 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 3,980 4,960 
			 Kingston upon Thames 3,870 4,850 
			 Kirklees 3,830 4,710 
			 Knowsley 4,220 5,350 
			 Lambeth 5,700 7,650 
			 Lancashire 3,650 4,480 
			 Leeds 3,710 4,660 
			 Leicester 4,150 4,980 
			 Leicestershire 3,330 4,080 
			 Lewisham 5,330 7,040 
			 Lincolnshire 3,640 4,460 
			 Liverpool 4,150 5,220 
			 Luton 4,120 5,170 
			 Manchester 4,410 5,590 
			 Medway 3,580 4,480 
			 Merton 4,210 5,300 
			 Middlesbrough 4,230 5,730 
			 Milton Keynes 3,860 4,760 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 4,020 4,980 
			 Newham 4,960 6,020 
			 Norfolk 3,690 4,450 
			 North East Lincolnshire 3,770 4,690 
			 North Lincolnshire 3,730 4,580 
			 North Somerset 3,500 4,400 
			 North Tyneside 3,630 4,650 
			 North Yorkshire 3,610 4,270 
			 Northamptonshire 3,570 4,410 
			 Northumberland 3,650 4,550 
			 Nottingham 4,250 5,490 
			 Nottinghamshire 3,480 4,270 
			 Oldham 3,970 4,860 
			 Oxfordshire 3,690 4,530 
			 Peterborough 3,910 4,840 
			 Plymouth 3,570 4,490 
			 Poole 3,330 4,220 
			 Portsmouth 3,800 4,810 
			 Reading 4,080 5,330 
			 Redbridge 4,020 4,840 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 3,860 4,770 
			 Richmond upon Thames 3,810 4,830 
			 Rochdale 4,010 5,010 
			 Rotherham 3,770 4,640 
			 Rutland 3,660 4,430 
			 Salford 4,000 5,050 
			 Sandwell 3,990 4,950 
			 Sefton 3,660 4,630 
			 Sheffield 3,770 4,740 
			 Shropshire 3,640 4,400 
			 Slough 4,400 5,560 
			 Solihull 3,480 4,290 
			 Somerset 3,540 4,380 
			 South Gloucestershire 3,380 4,250 
			 South Tyneside 3,970 4,880 
			 Southampton 3,930 4,880 
			 Southend-on-Sea 3,770 4,750 
			 Southwark 5,470 7,330 
			 St. Helens 3,770 4,760 
			 Staffordshire 3,400 4,190 
			 Stockport 3,470 4,310 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 3,780 4,730 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 3,900 4,910 
			 Suffolk 3,480 4,300 
			 Sunderland 3,820 4,770 
			 Surrey 3,660 4,540 
			 Sutton 3,840 4,750 
			 Swindon 3,570 4,440 
			 Tameside 3,680 4,580 
			 Telford and Wrekin 3,700 4,600 
			 Thurrock 3,900 4,970 
			 Torbay 3,530 4,420 
			 Tower Hamlets 6,120 7,430 
			 Trafford 3,530 4,380 
			 Wakefield 3,670 4,490 
			 Walsall 3,810 4,640 
			 Waltham Forest 4,530 5,730 
			 Wandsworth 5,040 6,460 
			 Warrington 3,390 4,220 
			 Warwickshire 3,520 4,330 
			 West Berkshire 3,760 4,580 
			 West Sussex 3,580 4,410 
			 Westminster 5,440 6,520 
			 Wigan 3,600 4,460 
			 Wiltshire 3,590 4,320 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 3,760 4,710 
			 Wirral 3,760 4,740 
			 Wokingham 3,610 4,520 
			 Wolverhampton 3,970 5,050 
			 Worcestershire 3,400 4,270 
			 York 3,400 4,300 
			  Notes: 1. Price Base: Cash 2. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of Standard Spending Assessment / Education Formula Spending (EFS) settlements. Figures include the pensions transfer to EFS. 3. Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DCSF Departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to pupils aged 3-10 and 11-15 and exclude education maintenance allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level. 4. The pupil numbers used to convert £ million figures to £ per pupil are those underlying the EFS settlement calculations. 5. Rounding: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 6. Status: Some of the grant allocations have not been finalised. If these do change, the effect on the funding figures is expected to be minimal.

Pupils: Per Capita Funding

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his latest estimate is of the average level of funding per pupil in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools; and what proportion of funding per pupil was delivered through local education authorities in each year since 1996-97.

Jim Knight: All revenue funding to pupils aged three to 19 has been delivered through local education authorities since 1996-97.
	The revenue funding figures per pupil aged three to 10 and 11 to 15 for England for years 1997-98 to 2005-06 are provided in the following table. Comparable figures are not available for 1996-97.
	
		
			   Primary (3 to10-year-olds)  Secondary  (11 to 15-year-olds) 
			 1997-98 2,480 3,390 
			 1998-99 2,580 3,470 
			 1999-2000 2,750 3,610 
			 2000-01 2,990 3,900 
			 2001-02 3,160 4,110 
			 2002-03 3,250 4,210 
			 2003-04 3,450 4,280 
			 2004-05 3,550 4,450 
			 2005-06 3,770 4,640 
			  Notes: 1. Price Base: Real terms at 2005-06 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 27 September 2906. 2. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of Standard Spending Assessment/Education Formula Spending (EFS) settlements and exclude the pensions transfer to EFS. 3. Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DCSF Departmental Expenditure Limits relevant to pupils aged three to 15 and exclude Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level. 4. The pupil numbers used to convert m figures to per pupil are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations. 5. Rounding: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 6. Status: Some of the grant allocations have not been finalised. If these do change, the effect on the funding figures is expected to be minimal. 
		
	
	The revenue per pupil figures shown in the table below are taken from the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) which was introduced in April 2006 and are in cash terms. They are not comparable with those for the years 1997-98 to 2005-06 because the introduction of the DSG in 2006-07 fundamentally changed how local authorities are funded.
	The 1997-98 to 2005-06 figures are based on Education Formula Spending (EFS) which formed the education part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, plus various grants. This was an assessment of what local authorities needed to fund education rather than what they spent. In addition, the DSG has a different coverage to EFS. EFS comprised a schools block and an LEA block (to cover LEA central functions) whereas DSG only covers the school block. LEA block items are still funded through DCLG's Local Government Finance Settlement but education items cannot be separately identified. Consequently, there is a break in the Department's time series as the two sets of data are not comparable. An alternative time series is currently under development.
	To provide a comparison for 2006-07 DSG, the Department have isolated the schools block equivalent funding in 2005-06; as described this does not represent the totality of 'education' funding in that year. As the DSG is just a mechanism for distributing funding there is not a primary/secondary split available. There are other grants that support the schools budget, these are not included in the provided DSG figures. The figures are for all funded pupils aged three to 15.
	
		
			   Revenue per pupil( 1) 
			 DSG 2005-06  
			 Baseline 3,411 
			 DSG 2006-07 3,643 
			 DSG 2007-08 3,888 
			 (1) In cash terms  Notes: 1. The revenue funding per pupil figures only run to 2005-06 because the Department cannot provide a consistent time series beyond that year as the introduction of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) in 2006-07 fundamentally changed how local authorities are funded. The 1997-98 to 2005-06 figures are based on Education Formula Spending (EFS) which formed the education part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, plus various grants. This was an assessment of what local authorities needed to fund education rather than what they spent. In 2006-07 funding for schools changed with the introduction of the DSG which is based largely on an authority's previous spending. 2. In addition, DSG has a different coverage to EFS: EFS comprised a schools block and an LEA block (to cover LEA central functions) whereas DSG only covers the school block. LEA block items are still funded through DCLG's Local Government Finance Settlement but education items cannot be separately identified. This means we have a break in our time series as the two sets of data are not comparable, an alternative time series is currently under development. 3. To provide a comparison for 2006-07 DSG, we have isolated the schools block equivalent funding in 2005-06; as described this does not represent the totality of 'education' funding in that year. 4. Some of the grant allocations have not been finalised. If these do change, the effect on the funding figures is expected to be minimal.

Pupils: Per Capita Funding

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average amount spent on each school pupil was in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007.

Jim Knight: The requested information is contained in the following table:
	
		
			  School based expenditure per pupil( 1'2'3'4)  and combined local authority and school based expenditure per pupil5:1997-98 and 2005-06( 6, 7) 
			  Cash terms figures( 8)  as reported by local authorities as at 19 July 2007. 
			   School based expenditure per pupil( 1, 2, 3) 
			   Primary  Pre-primary and primary( 4)  Secondary  Special  Total (excluding pre-primary)( 4)  Total (including pre-primary)( 4)  Total combined local authority and school based expenditure per pupil( 5) 
			 1997-98(6) — 1,740 2,360 9,830 — 2,080 2,710 
			 2005-06(3, 4, 7) 3,150 3,170 4,070 16,430 3,710 3,720 4,450 
			 (1) 1999-2000 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the RO1 form collected by the ODPM to the Section 52 form from the DFES. 2002-03 saw a further break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) and the associated restructuring of the outturn tables.  (2) School based expenditure includes only expenditure incurred directly by local authority maintained schools. This includes the pay of teachers and school-based support staff, school premises costs, books and equipment, and certain other supplies and services, less any capital items funded from recurrent spending and income from sales, fees and charges and rents and rates. This excludes the central cost of support services such as home to school transport, local authority administration and the financing of capital expenditure. The pupil data are drawn from the DFES Annual Schools Census adjusted to be on a financial year basis.  (3) The school based expenditure calculation for 2005-06 is broadly similar to the calculation in 1997-98. However, 1997-98 includes all premature retirement compensation (PRC) and Crombie payments, mandatory PRC payments and other indirect employee expenses whereas only the schools element of these categories is included in 2005-06. Also, for some LAs, expenditure that had previously been attributed to the school sectors was reported within the LA part of the form from 2002-03 onwards and hence would be excluded from the 2005-06 school based expenditure figures, though this is not quantifiable from existing sources.  (4) Expenditure was not distinguished between the pre-primary and primary sectors until the inception of Section 52 for the 1999-2000 financial year. Comparable figures for school based expenditure in local authority maintained nursery schools are not available from 2002-03 onwards and consequently direct comparisons should not be made between the pre-primary and primary figures and total (including pre-primary) figures for 1997-98 and 2005-06.  (5) Combined local authority and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in local authority maintained establishments and pupils educated by the authority other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA). Certain elements of central local authority expenditure cannot be attributed to a particular phase of education and consequently a sector breakdown is not available. Pupil figures include all pre-primary pupils, including those under fives funded by the authority and being educated in private settings, pupils educated in maintained mainstream schools and any other local authority maintained pupils. All pupil numbers are adjusted to be on a financial year basis.  (6) Spending in 1997-98 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 1998-99.  (7) Figures for 1999-2000 onwards reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance.  (8) Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

Pupils: Personal Records

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what information is held by  (a) schools,  (b) local education authorities and  (c) the Government on the family circumstances of pupils; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: It is for schools and local education authorities to decide what information they hold on the family circumstances of pupils. The Department holds information on all pupils in maintained schools on their eligibility for free school meals, and on which pupils are subject to a care order or accommodated by a local authority. There are also some research exercises which collect information on the family circumstances of a limited sample of pupils.

Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools appealed against their local education authority number on the basis of its being too  (a) low and  (b) high in each year since 1996-97; and what proportion of appeals was successful in each year.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Schools: Capital Expenditure

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much capital expenditure there was on schools in each local authority area in each year since 2003-04, excluding spending on academies; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Capital allocations for schools made so far in each local authority area in each year since 2003-04, excluding spending on academies, are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  £000 
			  Local authority name  Local authority number  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Barking and Dagenham 301 5,852 7,395 10,129 27,252 11,252 
			 Barnet 302 12,024 18,533 15,102 41,490 13,379 
			 Barnsley 370 61,039 10,122 7,161 8,407 6,603 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 800 11,848 7,330 5,551 14,864 6,935 
			 Bedfordshire 820 18,359 20,621 16,250 18,939 19,429 
			 Bexley 303 23,749 16,812 12,540 44,948 10,378 
			 Birmingham 330 102,593 54,287 40,367 45,833 46,130 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 889 10,062 6,006 9,629 9,999 6,608 
			 Blackpool 890 17,032 14,992 11,606 8,808 5,041 
			 Bolton 350 15,167 11,403 9,322 24,214 11,793 
			 Bournemouth 837 5,066 5,801 5,151 4,725 4,884 
			 Bracknell Forest 867 8,648 4,203 4,313 4,273 4,388 
			 Bradford 380 20,819 35,284 30,507 19,230 19,380 
			 Brent 304 14,706 13,827 10,031 20,183 16,413 
			 Brighton and Hove 846 7,338 13,357 5,487 6,424 6,929 
			 Bristol, City of 801 73,789 16,368 17,296 14,456 14,699 
			 Bromley 305 12,490 18,774 18,480 18,715 19,395 
			 Buckinghamshire 825 27,460 26,443 21,055 20,583 21,365 
			 Bury 351 7,556 10,833 5,283 18,571 6,854 
			 Calderdale 381 9,555 15,093 7,437 8,548 8,933 
			 Cambridgeshire 873 38,682 33,212 24,598 30,757 19,777 
			 Camden 202 12,152 8,251 11,124 8,014 8,519 
			 Cheshire 875 34,224 30,488 26,421 25,528 26,351 
			 City of London 201 159 97 42 66 71 
			 Cornwall 908 99,602 33,273 18,582 45,532 21,859 
			 Coventry 331 13,574 15,234 13,453 19,656 12,685 
			 Croydon 306 14,376 12,610 12,022 16,154 12,777 
			 Cumbria 909 21,193 23,723 19,008 21,494 22,272 
			 Darlington 841 44,980 4,199 4,454 24,954 4,074 
			 Derby 831 53,692 12,763 9,404 21,546 10,164 
			 Derbyshire 830 74,516 41,778 32,577 42,338 33,219 
			 Devon 878 122,740 56,137 24,974 79,810 42,674 
			 Doncaster 371 13,809 55,974 19,179 12,069 12,286 
			 Dorset 835 22,855 16,276 18,933 64,634 15,462 
			 Dudley 332 13,415 15,703 12,933 19,732 11,671 
			 Durham 840 33,035 25,282 25,815 30,500 22,644 
			 Ealing 307 16,392 77,589 13,936 21 ,999 9,530 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 811 20,432 21,642 16,997 26,299 14,475 
			 East Sussex 845 24,402 23,721 17,703 20,647 17,526 
			 Enfield 308 69,375 19,537 13,085 30,790 11,535 
			 Essex 881 63,462 63,202 55,620 51,245 52,028 
			 Gateshead 390 22,804 6,957 65,954 6,505 6,385 
			 Gloucestershire 916 28,486 36,782 30,180 68,389 36,469 
			 Greenwich 203 9,051 16,361 13,074 20,313 14,872 
			 Hackney 204 11,470 13,356 7,739 10,229 9,473 
			 Halton 876 6,969 4,879 5,611 10,727 5,217 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 205 4,987 10,900 4,972 11,879 6,012 
			 Hampshire 850 70,786 62,874 50,886 59,906 55,967 
			 Haringey 309 23,672 20,708 20,334 15,380 13,279 
			 Harrow 310 6,422 6,574 7,055 17,804 6,909 
			 Hartlepool 805 7,586 3,527 2,989 3,645 3,754 
			 Havering 311 11,506 11,327 8,299 14,192 9,734 
			 Herefordshire 884 27,643 8,354 8,712 6,982 7,140 
			 Hertfordshire 919 43,353 60,759 63,787 69,203 50,055 
			 Hillingdon 312 14,815 18,885 12,280 31,642 12,855 
			 Hounslow 313 36,193 9,515 8,210 10,962 10,338 
			 Isle of Wight 921 10,797 11,424 6,857 14,973 15,556 
			 Isles of Scilly 420 285 228 153 141 144 
			 Islington 206 9,417 11,314 7,039 6,152 6,455 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 207 2,918 4,024 4,413 8,987 5,595 
			 Kent 886 92,848 181,101 90,483 85,225 73,318 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 810 10,691 10,871 8,365 6,487 8,348 
			 Kingston upon Thames 314 10,942 14,951 5,992 42,583 8,255 
			 Kirklees 382 17,253 19,324 14,004 19,523 16,454 
			 Knowsley 340 7,495 6,688 8,225 10,391 4,750 
			 Lambeth 208 15,125 22,195 12,750 20,815 16,382 
			 Lancashire 888 62,607 44,234 38,067 54,715 46,664 
			 Leeds 383 28,263 63,654 135,406 24,510 24,183 
			 Leicester 856 12,329 18,259 25,540 12,986 7,434 
			 Leicestershire 855 27,582 33,834 35,673 40,998 25,063 
			 Lewisham 209 16,601 15,070 16,571 17,813 10,379 
			 Lincolnshire 925 28,157 33,779 29,350 42,750 29,536 
			 Liverpool 341 22,706 18,481 12,826 14,124 15,224 
			 Luton 821 11,734 10,056 6,448 9,926 6,881 
			 Manchester 352 56,424 24,853 14,980 21,696 22,141 
			 Medway 887 17,452 21,793 18,983 12,977 13,267 
			 Merton 315 7,293 5,836 5,446 15,810 10,762 
			 Middlesbrough 806 10,039 7,013 6,228 4,199 4,734 
			 Milton Keynes 826 29,083 39,116 30,831 52,464 42,610 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 391 16,280 70,368 8,523 12,485 8,336 
			 Newham 316 50,660 16,028 17,193 11,488 8,414 
			 Norfolk 926 39,292 108,282 34,492 70,474 39,356 
			 North East Lincolnshire 812 7,718 7,521 5,967 19,020 7,199 
			 North Lincolnshire 813 6,113 10,272 5,295 6,244 5,949 
			 North Somerset 802 17,971 27,122 17,954 8,166 8,472 
			 North Tyneside 392 11,528 7,134 5,839 18,584 6,964 
			 North Yorkshire 815 34,086 27,377 22,037 56,547 25,610 
			 N'hamptonshire 928 130,466 36,015 25,035 38,845 25,829 
			 Northumberland 929 13,730 15,920 11,700 14,269 14,691 
			 Nottingham 892 10,402 17,579 10,488 13,337 9,464 
			 Nottinghamshire 891 157,700 31,112 26,170 30,311 30,673 
			 Oldham 353 14,042 71,191 14,087 11,664 11,539 
			 Oxfordshire 931 33,394 36,896 36,248 26,789 27,536 
			 Peterborough 874 13,297 68,781 16,579 26,830 7,447 
			 Plymouth 879 16,397 56,593 11,728 20,747 11,994 
			 Poole 836 6,161 4,952 4,202 18,394 6,595 
			 Portsmouth 851 10,871 7,028 9,043 5,967 6,093 
			 Reading 870 9,733 5,211 6,564 10,376 4,488 
			 Redbridge 317 13,084 16,768 20,789 17,159 17,942 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 807 59,355 5,903 4,910 17,476 5,662 
			 Richmond upon Thames 318 4,277 6,056 9,584 39,317 9,844 
			 Rochdale 354 12,033 69,346 7,485 8,781 8,829 
			 Rotherham 372 18,005 10,396 8,163 11,708 10,359 
			 Rutland 857 1,284 1,704 1,832 1,614 1,681 
			 Salford 355 10,210 56,770 9,947 11,989 7,869 
			 Sandwell 333 16,344 16,435 12,992 17,223 12,694 
			 Sefton 343 16,930 12,079 13,303 19,464 12,294 
			 Sheffield 373 58,357 83,165 25,473 22,264 17,297 
			 Shropshire 893 10,822 10,366 13,800 12,695 10,865 
			 Slough 871 7,618 52,188 4,498 25,645 6,134 
			 Solihull 334 9,424 9,801 13,175 7,670 7,940 
			 Somerset 933 19,249 21,831 18,240 28,632 21,312 
			 South Gloucestershire 803 14,853 19,134 11,040 14,194 14,657 
			 South Tyneside 393 6,596 21,922 5,150 4,439 4,479 
			 Southampton 852 12,006 6,823 10,728 9,845 7,063 
			 Southend-on-Sea 882 9,907 13,793 7,799 10,833 7,278 
			 Southwark 210 12,593 27,031 21,199 16,184 16,080 
			 St. Helens 342 7,152 6,772 5,783 18,936 7,056 
			 Staffordshire 860 35,529 41,071 29,198 41,187 33,219 
			 Stockport 356 11,709 10,731 11,518 11,232 11,395 
			 Stockton-on- Tees 808 11,858 11,786 7,705 10,863 7,669 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 861 11,333 14,891 6,973 5,235 5,263 
			 Suffolk 935 34,673 44,931 31,273 34,765 28,079 
			 Sunderland 394 13,436 11,049 9,287 12,925 9,881 
			 Surrey 936 48,336 45,928 47,164 44,580 37,867 
			 Sutton 319 11,286 8,702 8,125 12,637 10,299 
			 Swindon 866 80,240 11,594 9,182 8,747 8,927 
			 Tameside 357 9,008 11,616 11,327 11,427 8,976 
			 Telford and Wrekin 894 77,507 12,310 7,550 14,879 7,830 
			 Thurrock 883 11,007 13,289 8,904 22,969 17,604 
			 Torbay 880 9,470 10,959 8,994 31,837 9,893 
			 Tower Hamlets 211 8,912 8,586 7,942 14,296 15,028 
			 Trafford 358 14,773 13,569 8,389 11,284 8,834 
			 Wakefield 384 16,743 15,790 16,804 24,201 12,558 
			 Walsall 335 19,361 17,518 13,384 23,948 12,428 
			 Waltham Forest 320 10,364 10,260 10,752 6,967 7,032 
			 Wandsworth 212 11,741 10,371 10,495 23,102 14,936 
			 Warrington 877 8,821 8,006 9,805 12,092 8,152 
			 Warwickshire 937 34,454 25,499 19,169 34,055 22,856 
			 West Berkshire 869 7,647 7,957 6,546 19,358 7,575 
			 West Sussex 938 30,799 34,381 36,018 43,006 31 ,828 
			 Westminster 213 15,195 10,110 7,770 10,708 6,962 
			 Wigan 359 19,790 17,511 10,370 24,387 12,775 
			 Wiltshire 865 27,615 21,251 15,740 42,850 18,149 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 868 5,972 5,456 4,439 5,726 5,963 
			 Wirral 344 18,774 14,354 13,418 18,486 12,401 
			 Wokingham 872 9,042 12,002 5,185 18,035 6,246 
			 Wolverhampton 336 10,311 15,655 9,498 26,755 11,125 
			 Worcestershire 885 24,264 88,860 19,602 22,138 22,537 
			 York 816 9,651 9,429 8,739 28,494 6,364

Schools: Catering

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the proportion of school kitchens which need  (a) rebuilding and  (b) capital investment.

Jim Knight: The Department has not made these estimates.
	In 2006, the Department and the School Food Trust worked together to identify where schools have currently no kitchen provision. In October 2006, the School Food Trust report 'School Meal Take Up in England' estimated that about 3,500 schools in England do not have a cooking kitchen, though some of these may have facilities to regenerate and serve brought-in food.
	Based on returns from 19 authorities who attended a conference in London in December, targeted at authorities with high numbers of schools without any kitchen facilities, 1,959 or 62 per cent. of schools in these authorities do not have kitchens. While demonstrating that there are areas with concentrations of schools without kitchens, these figures do not represent the national picture.

Schools: Drugs

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many drug tests were administered on  (a) teachers and  (b) students by schools in each local education authority in each of the last 10 years; how many tested positive for drug use in each case; and what steps have been taken against teachers and students who have failed drug tests.

Kevin Brennan: Schools do not have to inform the Department if they wish to introduce drug testing for pupils and we do not collect information about those that do, the methods used or the results of their tests. However, we know of three maintained schools which have tested pupils for drugs. We do not collect any information about drug testing on teachers.

Schools: East Sussex

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much schools funding was allocated per pupil in  (a) Eastbourne and  (b) East Sussex in each year since 1997, broken down by age group.

Jim Knight: The requested information is allocated to local authorities. Eastbourne is part of the East Sussex local authority and the revenue funding figures per pupil aged 3-10 and 11-15 for 1997-98 to 2005-06 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Primary  (3 to 10-year-olds)  Secondary  (11 to 15-year-olds) 
			 1997-98 2,520 3,360 
			 1998-99 2,610 3,470 
			 1999-2000 2,780 3,560 
			 2000-01 3,020 3,850 
			 2001-02 3,180 4,060 
			 2002-03 3,230 4,190 
			 2003-04 3,370 4,200 
			 2004-05 3,490 4,410 
			 2005-06 3,670 4,560 
			  Notes: 1. Price Base: Real terms at 2005-06 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 27 September 2006. 2. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of standard spending assessment/education formula spending (EFS) settlements and exclude the pensions transfer to EFS. 3. Total funding also includes all revenue grants in DCFS departmental expenditure limits relevant to pupils aged 3-15 and exclude education maintenance allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level. 4. The pupil numbers used to convert £ million figures to £ per pupil are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations. 5. Rounding: Figures are rounded to the nearest £10. 6. Status: Some of the grant allocations have not been finalised. If these do change, the effect on the funding figures is expected to be minimal. 
		
	
	The revenue per pupil figures shown in the following table are taken from the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) introduced in April 2006 and are in cash terms. They are not comparable with those for the years 1997-98 to 2005-06 because the introduction of the DSG in 2006-07 fundamentally changed how local authorities are funded.
	The 1997-98 to 2005-06 figures are based on education formula spending (EFS) which formed the education part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, plus various grants. This was an assessment of what local authorities needed to fund education rather than what they spent. In addition, the DSG has a different coverage to EFS. EFS comprised a schools block and an LEA block (to cover LEA central functions) whereas DSG only covers the school block. LEA block items are still funded through DCLG's Local Government Finance Settlement but education items cannot be separately identified. Consequently, there is a break in the Department's time series as the two sets of data are not comparable. An alternative time series is currently under development.
	To provide a comparison for 2006-07 DSG, the Department have isolated the schools block equivalent funding in 2005-06; as described above this does not represent the totality of 'education' funding in that year. As the DSG is just a mechanism for distributing funding there is not a primary/secondary split available. There are other grants that support the schools budget, these are not included in the provided DSG figures. The figures are for all funded pupils aged 3-15.
	
		
			  DSG 2005-06  Figures 
			 Baseline 3,371 
			 DSG 2006-07 3,598 
			 DSG 2007-08 3,831 
			  Notes: 1. The revenue funding per pupil figures only run to 2005-06 because we cannot provide a consistent time series beyond that year as the introduction of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) in 2006-07 fundamentally changed how local authorities are funded. The 1997-98 to 2005-06 figures are based on education formula spending (EFS) which formed the education part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, plus various grants. This was an assessment of what local authorities needed to fund education rather than what they spent. In 2006-07 funding for schools changed with the introduction of the DSG which is based largely on an authority's previous spending. 2. In addition, DSG has a different coverage to EFS: EFS comprised a schools block and an LEA block (to cover LEA central functions) whereas DSG only covers the school block. LEA block items are still funded through DCLG's Local Government Finance Settlement but education items cannot be separately identified. This means we have a break in our time series as the two sets of data are not comparable, an alternative time series is currently under development. 3. To provide a comparison for 2006-07 DSG, we have isolated the schools block equivalent funding in 2005-06; as described above this does not represent the totality of 'education' funding in that year. 4. Some of the grant allocations have not been finalised. If these do change, the effect on the funding figures is expected to be minimal.

Schools: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how much deprivation-related funding is available to English schools in 2007-08;
	(2)  how much deprivation-related funding was allocated to each local education authority (LEA) in the last period for which figures are available; how much of this was passed on by LEAs on the basis of deprivation; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Funding for local authorities within the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) includes an element for deprivation. In 2007-08 the notional amount available to local authorities to distribute to schools from the DSG and grants totals £3,808 million, with the amounts given to individual local authorities as part of the DSG provided in the attached annex. (This amounts to £2,730 million and excludes the additional grants to local authorities which do not currently have the deprivation element separately identified). It is not possible at present to say how much is passed on by local authorities to schools on the basis of deprivation. However, over the summer and early autumn of 2007 the Government Offices Children's Services Advisors are to discuss with their local authorities how much funding each authority is passing on to schools on the basis of deprivation and how this can be improved where necessary. As part of the process, Department officials will be collecting baseline information regarding the distribution in 2007-08 in order that change can be tracked in future years. Guidance to authorities is to be published during August 2007.
	
		
			  Annex A: Notional deprivation funding within 2007-08 DSG 
			£ million 
			  England 2,730 
			 201 City of London 0.1 
			 202 Camden 15.3 
			 203 Greenwich 22.8 
			 204 Hackney 22.7 
			 205 Hammersmith and Fulham 10.3 
			 206 Islington 20.3 
			 207 Kensington and Chelsea 4.7 
			 208 Lambeth 22.4 
			 209 Lewisham 21.9 
			 210 Southwark 24.0 
			 211 Tower Hamlets 39.4 
			 212 Wandsworth 14.6 
			 213 Westminster 10.1 
			 301 Barking and Dagenham 16.8 
			 302 Barnet 14.7 
			 303 Bexley 12.0 
			 304 Brent 20.6 
			 305 Bromley 11.8 
			 306 Croydon 19.8 
			 307 Ealing 19.9 
			 308 Enfield 22.3 
			 309 Haringey 23.3 
			 310 Harrow 9.8 
			 311 Havering 11.0 
			 312 Hillingdon 14.1 
			 313 Hounslow 15.7 
			 314 Kingston upon Thames 4.6 
			 315 Merton 7.4 
			 316 Newham 35.7 
			 317 Redbridge 14.2 
			 318 Richmond upon Thames 4.2 
			 319 Sutton 8.1 
			 320 Waltham Forest 19.5 
			 330 Birmingham 99.8 
			 331 Coventry 20.0 
			 332 Dudley 18.2 
			 333 Sandwell 25.2 
			 334 Solihull 8.7 
			 335 Walsall 20.1 
			 336 Wolverhampton 18.9 
			 340 Knowsley 15.7 
			 341 Liverpool 43.7 
			 342 St. Helens 11.7 
			 343 Sefton 16.7 
			 344 Wirral 22.6 
			 350 Bolton 18.8 
			 351 Bury 9.6 
			 352 Manchester 45.9 
			 353 Oldham 18.6 
			 354 Rochdale 16.4 
			 355 Salford 17.4 
			 356 Stockport 11.9 
			 357 Tameside 15.1 
			 358 Trafford 10.6 
			 359 Wigan 17.7 
			 370 Barnsley 14.7 
			 371 Doncaster 19.7 
			 372 Rotherham 18.9 
			 373 Sheffield 30.4 
			 380 Bradford 38.7 
			 381 Calderdale 13.0 
			 382 Kirklees 24.2 
			 383 Leeds 38.9 
			 384 Wakefield 19.0 
			 390 Gateshead 12.4 
			 391 Newcastle upon Tyne 18.3 
			 392 North Tyneside 11.4 
			 393 South Tyneside 11.7 
			 394 Sunderland 20.4 
			 800 Bath and North East Somerset 6.0 
			 801 Bristol, City of 21.8 
			 802 North Somerset 6.8 
			 803 South Gloucestershire 8.4 
			 805 Hartlepool 7.8 
			 806 Middlesbrough 11.2 
			 807 Redcar and Cleveland 10.7 
			 808 Stockton-on-Tees 12.1 
			 810 Kingston Upon Hull, City of 22.2 
			 811 East Riding of Yorkshire 12.1 
			 812 North East Lincolnshire 11.3 
			 813 North Lincolnshire 8.8 
			 815 North Yorkshire 19.1 
			 816 York 6.7 
			 820 Bedfordshire 14.7 
			 821 Luton 14.2 
			 825 Buckinghamshire 13.7 
			 826 Milton Keynes 11.8 
			 830 Derbyshire 33.2 
			 831 Derby 16.2 
			 835 Dorset 13.0 
			 836 Poole 5.3 
			 837 Bournemouth 7.2 
			 840 Durham 30.0 
			 841 Darlington 6.2 
			 845 East Sussex 20.6 
			 846 Brighton and Hove 12.5 
			 850 Hampshire 40.2 
			 851 Portsmouth 10.5 
			 852 Southampton 13.3 
			 855 Leicestershire 18.8 
			 856 Leicester 24.4 
			 857 Rutland 1.1 
			 860 Staffordshire 32.6 
			 861 Stoke-on-Trent 18.1 
			 865 Wiltshire 14.3 
			 866 Swindon 8.2 
			 867 Bracknell Forest 3.2 
			 868 Windsor and Maidenhead 3.2 
			 869 West Berkshire 5.3 
			 870 Reading 5.9 
			 871 Slough 8.1 
			 872 Wokingham 3.7 
			 873 Cambridgeshire 16.6 
			 874 Peterborough 12.4 
			 875 Cheshire 26.4 
			 876 Halton 10.4 
			 877 Warrington 9.0 
			 878 Devon 27.1 
			 879 Plymouth 15.4 
			 880 Torbay 7.6 
			 881 Essex 54.8 
			 882 Southend-on-Sea 10.6 
			 883 Thurrock 8.3 
			 884 Herefordshire 6.0 
			 885 Worcestershire 19.8 
			 886 Kent 62.2 
			 887 Medway 14.8 
			 888 Lancashire 61.1 
			 889 Blackburn with Darwen 12.8 
			 890 Blackpool 10.6 
			 891 Nottinghamshire 36.4 
			 892 Nottingham 24.9 
			 893 Shropshire 9.3 
			 894 Telford and Wrekin 10.3 
			 908 Cornwall 24.9 
			 909 Cumbria 22.1 
			 916 Gloucestershire 20.3 
			 919 Hertfordshire 36.5 
			 921 Isle of Wight 7.4 
			 925 Lincolnshire 29.7 
			 926 Norfolk 34.6 
			 928 Northamptonshire 27.6 
			 929 Northumberland 14.6 
			 931 Oxfordshire 17.4 
			 933 Somerset 18.7 
			 935 Suffolk 25.7 
			 936 Surrey 28.3 
			 937 Warwickshire 18.0 
			 938 West Sussex 25.0

Schools: Great Yarmouth

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent on upgrading teaching facilities and new build in schools in Great Yarmouth in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The Department maintains records of capital allocations to local authorities, and does not maintain records on a constituency basis. Capital allocations to Norfolk county council and schools in its area in each of the last 10 years are set out in the following table
	
		
			  £ million 
			 1998-99 10.8 
			 1999-2000 12.1 
			 2000-01 28.3 
			 2001-02 25.5 
			 2002-03 (1)130.2 
			 2003-04 39.3 
			 2004-05 (2)108.3 
			 2005-06 34.5 
			 2006-07 (3)70.5 
			 2007-08 39.4 
			 (1) This includes a PFI allocation of £92 million.  (2) This includes a PFI allocation of £60 million, and Targeted Capital Fund allocations of £7.1 million.  (3) This includes an allocation of £14.5 million for a new school by promoters, and Targeted Capital Fund allocations of £15.7 million.

Schools: Offensive Weapons

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many times assault or attempted assault with a weapon occurred in school grounds in each  (a) local education authority and  (b) type of school in each of the last 10 years, broken down by type of weapon;
	(2)  how many times police have been summoned for assistance on school grounds in each local education authority in each of the last 10 years, broken down by type of incident;
	(3)  how many  (a) students and  (b) staff members in each local education authority were killed on school premises with a weapon in each of the last 10 years; and what the type of school and type of weapon was in each case;
	(4)  how many times a student has been found in possession of a weapon in each local education authority in each of the last 10 years; and what the age of student and type of weapon was in each case.

Jim Knight: Numbers of persons, by age group, convicted of possession of an offensive weapon and of having a bladed article on school premises for 1999 to 2005 (the years for which figures are available) are on the following table. One pupil was killed with a weapon on school premises in the past 10 years (in a community secondary school, with a knife), and no members of staff. Neither this Department nor the Home Office collects any other relevant data. In the main, schools are very safe places: most pupils never carry a knife in school. Schools can screen for weapons if they wish, and have a statutory power to search pupils they suspect of carrying one. Safer School Partnerships, programmes to improve behaviour, curriculum opportunities for learning about responsibility, conflict, and safety, and other DCSF programmes for young people and parenting can also help.
	
		
			Age group  
			  Offence description  Year  Aged 10 to 11  Aged 12 to 14  Aged 15 to 17  Aged 18 and over  All ages 
			 827 Having an article with blade or point on school premises(1) 1999 — 1 4 4 9 
			  2000 — 4 8 5 17 
			  2001 — 2 6 15 23 
			  2002 — 6 10 3 19 
			  2003 2 6 7 14 29 
			  2004 — 11 16 10 37 
			  2005 1 14 17 12 44 
			
			 828 Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on school premises 1999 — 4 5 11 20 
			  2000 — 1 5 5 11 
			  2001 — 5 7 6 18 
			  2002 — 5 10 2 17 
			  2003 — 5 5 4 14 
			  2004 — 8 10 11 29 
			  2005 1 8 15 5 29 
			 (1) Data for "having an article with blade or point on school premises" excludes convictions for West Mercia PFA; until clarification of these cases is obtained.  Notes: 1. These data are on the principal offence basis. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces and courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Office for Criminal Justice Reform IOS: 452-05

Schools: Private Finance Initiative

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the average cost of  (a) building and  (b) maintaining a school (i) under a private finance initiative contract and (ii) through the public sector.

Jim Knight: As part of the procurement process all local authorities are expected to demonstrate that PFI method of procurement provides value for money in comparison to other procurement options.
	The Department, Treasury, or the National Audit Office have not undertaken any studies of average costs. However, as part of our BSF developments, benchmarking data will be available in the future which will enable us to provide information on estimate of average costs.

Schools: Private Finance Initiative

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of estimated payments under his Department's private finance initiative contracts is projected to be spent on rebuilding of schools in each year between 2008 and 2019.

Jim Knight: Information on all signed private finance initiative contracts, including balance sheet treatment and future unitary charges, is included in HM Treasury's PFI Signed Projects List, which is available through www.hm.treasury.gov.uk/documents/public_private _partnerships/ppp_pfi_stats. The information covers the unitary charge payment projections up to 2033-34. (A unitary charge can frequently include capital repayments, service provision, inflation and major refurbishment).
	Announcement will be made later this year on the amount of PFI credits available for the next comprehensive spending review period from 2008 to 2011.

Schools: Private Finance Initiative

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the cost to the public purse was in the last 12 months of paying off contracts with private finance initiative investors for schools that have been prematurely closed.

Jim Knight: The Department is only aware of one public finance funded school which has closed prematurely in the last five years. (College of Media, Arts and Technology in Brighton and Hove). All detailed cost information regarding closure of the school, including any payment to the PFI investor is held at the local authority level.

Schools: Private Finance Initiative

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of schools categorised as a school causing concern in each of the last 10 years was built and maintained  (a) under private finance initiative contract and  (b) through the public sector.

Jim Knight: Ofsted has provided the table which shows the number of schools in categories of concern for each year since 1996/97.
	The Department and Ofsted do not centrally hold information specifically on schools built in the last 10 years which are categorised as causing concern.
	
		
			  Number of primary and secondary schools in Ofsted categories 1996/97 to 2006/07* 
			  End of academic year  Total primary  Total secondary 
			  Special measures   
			 1996/97 226 73 
			 1997/98 365 95 
			 1998/99 313 81 
			 1999/2000 272 83 
			 2000/01 234 64 
			 2001/02 193 52 
			 2002/03 184 58 
			 2003/04 201 94 
			 2004/05 123 90 
			 2005/06 137 54 
			 2006/07(1) 179 52 
			
			  Notice to improve   
			 2005/06 205 93 
			 2006/07(1) 229 105 
			
			  Serious weaknesses   
			 1997/98 419 76 
			 1998/99 606 110 
			 1999/2000 658 122 
			 2000/01 402 96 
			 2001/02 361 75 
			 2002/03 250 64 
			 2003/04 245 47 
			 2004/05 212 45 
			 2005/06 86 21 
			 2006/07(1) 40 5 
			
			  Under achieving   
			 1999/2000 75 15 
			 2000/01 121 24 
			 2001/02 134 24 
			 2002/03 74 15 
			 2003/04 66 12 
			 2004/05 38 11 
			 2005/06 8 6 
			 2006/07(1) 4 0 
			 (1) Number of schools at 31 March 2007 (last published information from Ofsted).

Schools: Uniforms

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects to issue guidance to schools on the supply of school uniforms following the Office of Fair Trading investigation; and what schools will be covered by the guidance.

Jim Knight: The Department plans to publish updated guidance on school uniforms and related policies by the end of September 2007. This guidance will be available to all schools in England and provides advice on how to develop fair and reasonable school uniform policies.

Schools: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the capital investment in schools in City of York was in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07.

Jim Knight: School capital allocations to the City of York in  (a) 2005-06 were £8.7 million, including additional Targeted Capital Funding (TCP) of £3.1 million, and  (b) in 2006-07 £28.5 million, including additional TCF funding of £22.2 million.
	Investment in each year may differ from allocation figures due to (a) timing differences regarding spend (b) other resources available to the local authority and (c) priorities agreed locally. The Department does maintain records of investment centrally.

Secondary Education

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make a statement on the future of the 14 to 19 Education and Skills Agenda.

Jim Knight: 14-19 remains a key priority for the Department for Children, Schools and Families. We want to ensure that all young people are prepared by their education and training for success in life. Immediately this means that we must raise participation at 17, cut the proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) and raise attainment at 19. We have stretching targets in all these areas and will be introducing legislation to make participation in education or training compulsory up to the age of 18. In parallel, we are reforming curriculum and qualifications to make them more engaging and more relevant to the needs of the economy; and building a system of schools, colleges and other providers working collaboratively to deliver the reformed curriculum effectively.
	The new Department will give us an even stronger focus on meeting all the needs of young people and their families in a more coherent way and to give them the best possible start in life. Our 14-19 reforms are absolutely key to this ambition.

Secondary Education: Colchester

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 124W, on which dates between 1 January and 22 May 2007 senior officials from his Department met officers from Essex County Council to discuss secondary school provision in Colchester.

Jim Knight: holding answer 23 July 2007
	 Senior officials met officers from Essex county council on 5 January, 22 January, 12 February and 28 February. A number of issues was discussed, including secondary education in Colchester.

Secondary Education: Curriculum

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the evidential basis was for the statement by the Chief Executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority that critics of the new secondary curriculum see education as a winnowing device to sort the wheat from the chaff in his recent speech on the curriculum.

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Chief Executive's comments were not directed specifically at 'critics' of the secondary curriculum. They were general comments on a particular view of education which he has expressed a number of times.

Secondary Education: Curriculum

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what evidential basis there is for the statements by the Chief Executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority that the new approach to the secondary curriculum will  (a) give every young person the best preparation for life,  (b) maximise the achievement of each individual and  (c) support social mobility in his recent speech on the curriculum.

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has an ongoing remit to monitor the national curriculum and draws on a wide range of research evidence to do so. This includes research and reports produced by partner bodies such as Ofsted and specialist subject and professional associations, as well as international work, through INCA (the International Review of Curriculum and Assessment frameworks Internet Archive).

Secondary Education: Curriculum

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what international research evidence demonstrates that the new curriculum is the key to growth in educational performance as referred to by the Chief Executive of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in his recent speech on the curriculum;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2007,  Official Report, column 333W, on secondary education: curriculum, which countries were identified by the international comparisons carried out by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as having adopted an approach to the curriculum similar to that adopted in the new secondary curriculum;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2007,  Official Report, column 333W, on secondary education: curriculum, if he will place in the Library the results of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's international comparisons on curriculum in relation to the secondary curriculum review.

Jim Knight: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority uses the International Review of Curriculum and Assessment frameworks Internet Archive (INCA), which it funds, in order to make its international comparisons. This provides descriptions of government policy on education in Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the USA and Wales.
	Many countries included in the INCA review have chosen a National Curriculum which minimises the amount of prescription and maximises flexibility for teachers. These include, for example, Finland, which frequently performs best in international comparisons of educational performance.
	A summary of international curriculum comparisons, made at the time of the review, where applicable, will be placed in the Library of the House.

Secondary Education: Curriculum

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2007,  Official Report, column 335W, on secondary education: curriculum, for what reasons parents were not specifically consulted on the content of the new programmes of study for the National Curriculum.

Jim Knight: Parents, like all other groups, had an opportunity to comment on the content of the new programmes of study as part of the secondary curriculum consultation exercise.
	A total of 10,613 people had direct contact with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority regarding the content of the new curriculum through conferences, workshop events (including two specifically for parents), and an online questionnaire. There were 1,891 responses to the online consultation alone. Among those invited to the launch of the new curriculum were parenting groups including the National Family and Parenting Institute and Parentline Plus.

Secondary Education: Curriculum

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether assessments for the third key stage will assess factual knowledge not explicitly identified in the new programmes of study for the secondary curriculum.

Jim Knight: The national curriculum programmes of study prescribe the fundamental body of knowledge, skills and understanding which every pupil should acquire during Key Stage 3. The assessments developed by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority—through the National Assessment Agency and its test development agencies—require pupils, through application, to demonstrate that they have acquired that knowledge, skills and understanding, as part of the range of factual knowledge that teachers will now have the flexibility to teach.

Secondary Education: Free School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils at the top performing 100 secondary schools qualify for free school meals; what proportion of pupils in their catchment areas were eligible for free school meals; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In 2006, the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in the top 100 secondary schools (excluding independent schools) based on the percentage of pupils achieving five or more A* to C (including English and maths) was 1.7 per cent. This percentage excludes pupils aged 16 and over.
	The equivalent national percentage for all secondary schools (excluding independent schools) was 14.7 per cent.
	Catchment areas are set locally. Data on school catchment areas are not held centrally.

Secondary Education: Rural Areas

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his Department's policy is on the retention of high schools in rural and remote areas with school rolls of less than 500.

Jim Knight: Responsibility for the overall planning of school places rests with local authorities and we expect them to ensure that school places are where parents want them. As part of this they also need to promote high educational standards, ensure fair access to educational opportunity and promote the fulfilment of every child's educational potential. They must also ensure that there are sufficient schools in their area and promote diversity and increase parental choice.
	The Department's statutory guidance to local authorities and the schools adjudicator, who are responsible for deciding specific proposals to reorganise schools, contains a presumption against the closure of rural schools. Although this does not mean that no rural school will ever close, the case for closure needs to be strong and clearly in the best interests of education provision in the area.

Secondary Education: Standards

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to raise standards in secondary schools.

Jim Knight: Standards in secondary schools have risen dramatically since 1997. Record numbers of 16-year-olds are now achieving five good GCSEs.
	Over 86,000 more pupils achieved five good GCSEs last year compared with 1997 and 62,000 more achieved five good GCSEs including English and maths compared with 1997. In total over 375,000 more young people have gained five or more good GCSEs over the period 1997 to 2006.
	This is as a result of a number of factors, as set out in my reply to PQ119851 on 19 February 2007. I would like to draw particular attention to challenge and support through the secondary National Strategy; of swift and targeted intervention to tackle school failure; more effective use of data by schools and local authorities, helping to track and monitor the progress of pupils; and a system within which schools and local authorities are setting ambitious targets for their pupils.
	The new secondary curriculum, to be introduced from 2008, will raise standards further still. Less prescription will allow for more time in the school day to concentrate on English and maths, particularly where pupils are struggling with literacy and numeracy. It will also allow schools to personalise learning in order to make teaching more engaging.

Sixth-form Colleges

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department has lead responsibility for sixth form colleges; what role the Learning and Skills Council has in overseeing their work; what role it will have in the future; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Department for Children, Schools and Families has responsibility for school sixth forms and sixth-form colleges within its wider responsibility for policy and funding for the education of children and young people up to age 19. The new Department will work closely with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills to ensure the successful delivery of our 14-19 reform programme through schools, colleges and training providers.
	The changes to planning and funding for post-16 education that were announced in June 2007 will be subject to consultation and will require new legislation. I estimate that we will not be able to give effect to the full legislative changes until the academic year 2010-11. Until then, the LSC will retain the legal responsibility for securing and funding all forms of post-16 education and training outside higher education, including sixth-form colleges. It will continue to work with the FE sector as a whole to raise standards and to ensure that it plays a full and effective part in driving forward our 14-19 reform agenda.
	Government policy is to foster more sixth-form colleges; they do an outstanding job and are generally popular with students and parents. The same is true of larger school sixth forms, formed either by an individual school or a consortium. To overcome England's unacceptably low education participation rate beyond GCSE, more provision will be required of both types, working in partnership with other local providers to provide a wide range of high quality opportunities for learners aged 14-19.

Special Educational Needs

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average number of special educational needs pupils in class in each local education authority was in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Special Educational Needs: Assessments

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average SATS test scores of special educational needs pupils taught at  (a) special schools and  (b) mainstream schools were in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Special Educational Needs: Lone Parents

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils with special educational needs statements in each  (a) local education authority and  (b) type of school came from single parent homes in each of the last 10 years, broken down by category of special needs.

Jim Knight: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Students: Lone Parents

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many students in each  (a) local education authority and  (b) type of school came from single parent families in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Sure Start Programme: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been spent on Sure Start in York; and how many parents have participated.

Beverley Hughes: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today at DCSF oral questions.

Teachers: Early Retirement

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what research has been undertaken by his Department on the rate of and factors behind teachers retiring early from leadership positions within schools.

Jim Knight: holding answer 23 July 2007
	 The latest figures show that in 2005-06, there were 2,870 retirement awards made to teachers whose last known employment was in the leadership group in a maintained school in England. Of these, 500 (17 per cent.) were premature retirements, 1,210 (42 per cent.) received actuarially reduced benefits, 250 (9 per cent.) were ill-health retirements and the remaining 910 (32 per cent.) were age retirements. (Source: Database of Teacher Records and the Pensioner Statistical System (PENSTATS)). These figures were published in December 2006 and can be found at
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000681/addition6.xls
	For comparison, in January 2006 there were 56,800 full time equivalent teachers in the leadership group in maintained schools in England. (Source: 618G Annual Survey of Teachers in Service and Teacher Vacancies).
	The leadership group encompasses head teachers, deputy heads and assistant heads.
	Research commissioned by the Department and published in 2003 looked into the factors influencing teachers' decisions to leave the profession. It identified five main reasons: Workload (eg workload too heavy), New Challenge (eg attracted by another job), School (eg way school is run), Salary (eg offered higher salary elsewhere) and Personal Circumstances (eg opportunity to travel). Of these, workload was the most important factor and salary the least.
	The research found that head teachers were less likely, and deputy heads more likely, than classroom teachers to cite workload as being of great importance in their decision to leave the profession.
	Considering all teachers, the research found that most of those taking early retirement were doing so because they felt they had worked long enough or because they could afford to. Some wanted time to themselves, others to be with a partner who had retired. Some were prepared to leave without an immediate pension and were contemplating other employment.
	The research report is available on the Department's website at
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR430.pdf
	From 1 January 2007, new provisions have been introduced into the Teachers' Pension Scheme that will provide teachers with greater choice and flexibility over the way they manage the transition from work to retirement. The new provisions will allow teachers to wind down in the years leading up to retirement, for example by moving to part time working or taking a post with less responsibility, while protecting their pension rights. New phased retirement provisions have also been introduced that will enable teachers to remain in the workplace in a reduced capacity while at the same time drawing some of their pension benefits.
	The Department has commissioned research into the impact these changes to the pension scheme may have on the retirement behaviour of teachers. The fieldwork for this study has already taken place and the project is due to report early in 2008. The research will help inform the key work that the National College of School Leadership is taking forward on succession planning to ensure that we have the right quantity and quality of school leaders both now and in the future.

Teachers: Great Yarmouth

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many teachers there were in Great Yarmouth in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teachers employed in local authority maintained schools in Great Yarmouth constituency in each January from 1997 to 2006.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent number of teaching staff in local authority maintained schools in Great Yarmouth constituency, January 1997 to 2006 
			  As at January:  Qualified teaching staff  Other teaching staff  Total teaching staff 
			 1997 660 10 670 
			 1998 660 10 670 
			 1999 670 10 670 
			 2000 670 10 680 
			 2001 690 10 700 
			 2002 680 20 700 
			 2003 680 30 710 
			 2004 670 40 710 
			 2005 670 40 700 
			 2006 700 40 740 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  School Census

Teachers: Manpower

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school teachers in each local education authority had their employment terminated in each of the last five years, broken down by reason for termination;
	(2)  how many new teachers entered the profession in each local education authority in each of the last 10 years;
	(3)  what the average number of school staff trained in first aid is in each local education authority;
	(4)  what the average tenure was of a  (a) primary school and  (b) secondary school head teacher in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Teachers: Manpower

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what the drop-out rate is of newly qualified teachers from the profession;
	(2)  how many teacher vacancies there were on average in each  (a) local education authority and  (b) type of school in each of the last 10 years;
	(3)  how many  (a) primary school and  (b) secondary school teachers in each local education authority (i) retired, (ii) resigned and (iii) had their contract terminated in each of the last 10 years;
	(4)  what the ratio of male to female teachers employed by primary schools was in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Information for the number of teachers who have resigned or had their contract terminated is not collected centrally.

Teachers: Pay

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average teacher's salary was in Norfolk in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the average salary of full-time regular teachers in service in Norfolk local authority in each March from 1996 to 2005, the latest information available.
	
		
			  Average salary of full-time regular teachers( 1)  in Norfolk local authority,  March of each year 
			   £ 
			  Year  Average salary 
			 1996 22,000 
			 1997 22,700 
			 1998 23,400 
			 1999 24,200 
			 2000 25,300 
			 2001 27,300 
			 2002 28,300 
			 2003 30,000 
			 2004(2) 31,100 
			 2005(2) 32,400 
			 (1) Includes teachers of all grades. (2) Provisional.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.  Source: Database of Teachers' Records (DTR)

Teachers: Pay

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average full-time equivalent gross pay of teachers in York schools was  (a) in cash terms and  (b) at current prices in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the average gross salary of full-time regular teachers in maintained sector service in York local authority in each March from 1997 to 2005, the latest information available.
	
		
			  Gross average salary 
			  £ 
			   Cash  Current prices( 1) 
			 1997 22,500 28,800 
			 1998 23,200 28,800 
			 1999 24,100 29,100 
			 2000 24,900 29,600 
			 2001 26,900 31,500 
			 2002 27,800 31,800 
			 2003 29,700 32,900 
			 2004(2) 30,600 33,000 
			 2005(2) 32,200 33,800 
			 (1 )Adjusted for inflation to 2006-07 prices using HM Treasury GDP deflator. (2 )Provisional estimates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.  Source: Database of Teachers' Records (DTR)

Teachers: Training

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many graduates entered teacher training courses in each year since 2000.

Jim Knight: The following table shows the number of trainees who were registered to commence mainstream post graduate Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses, the number of trainees registered to commence the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) and the number of trainees registered to commence Teach First from 2000/01 to 2006/07.
	
		
			  Number of trainees registered to commence mainstream post graduate ITT training, the Graduate Teacher Programme and Teach First 
			  Academic year  Mainstream post graduate trainees registered to commence ITT courses( 1,2)  Trainees registered to commence ITT courses through the Graduate Trainee Programme( 3,4)  Trainees registered to commence ITT courses through the Teach First Programme( 5) 
			 2000/01 19,620 1,510 — 
			 2001/02 21,260 3,220 — 
			 2002/03 23,370 3,770 — 
			 2003/04 25,780 5,230 160 
			 2004/05 25,860 5,470 180 
			 2005/06 25,060 5,490 170 
			 2006/07 24,640 4,200 220 
			 (1) Recruitment figures for 2006/07 are provisional and are subject to change. (2) Includes universities and other HE institutions, SCITT and OU, but excludes employment based routes. (3) Recruitment in 2006/07 is for the autumn term only and is provisional. A further 2,130 trainees are expected to start on employment based routes during the year. Figures from 2003/04 onwards are subject to future revision. (4) Figures prior to 2002/03 are taken from TDA records as at the end of the academic year. Figures for 2002/03 onwards are taken from the TDA EBR database as at January 2007 and are not directly comparable with previous years. (5) 2003/04 was the first year of the Teach First Programme. Teach First data for 2003/04 and 2004/05 are at November of the academic year. Teach First data for 2005/06 and autumn term 2006/07 are at January 2007.  Note: Recruitment figures shown are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  TDA Employment Based Routes Database TDA's ITT Trainee Numbers Census 2000/01 to 2006/07

Young People: Employment

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children aged 16 and 17 are in employment, broken down by  (a) small,  (b) medium and  (c) large size employers; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In 2006 there were around 585,300 young people aged 16 and 17 years in employment in England. The majority (500,100) of these employed young people were also participating in education and training.
	Labour Force Survey analysis for 2006 suggests around 73 per cent. of 16 to 17 year olds worked in firms with fewer than 50 employees, 18 per cent. worked in firms with 50 to 249 employees and 9 per cent. worked in firms with 250 or more employees.
	Therefore it is estimated that of the 585,300 young people aged 16 and 17 years in employment in England in 2006, around:
	 (a) 429,200 worked in firms with fewer than 50 employees;
	 (b) 103,100 worked in firms with 50 to 249 employees;
	 (c) 53,000 worked in firms with 250 or more employees.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departments: Aviation

Mark Hoban: To ask the Leader of the House how much was spent by her Office on  (a) first class and  (b) business flights in the last 12 months.

Helen Goodman: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons spent £12,626.21 on flights in the last 12 months.

Departments: Expenditure

Mark Hoban: To ask the Leader of the House 
	(1)  how much was spent by her Office on flowers in the last 12 months;
	(2)  how much was spent by her Office on industrial tribunals in the last 12 months;
	(3)  how much was spent by her Office on staff away days in the last 12 months;
	(4)  how much was spent by her Office on redundancy payments in the last 12 months.

Helen Goodman: None.

Departments: Manpower

Mark Hoban: To ask the Leader of the House how many people have been appointed to her Office outside civil service grades in the last 30 days.

Helen Goodman: One temporary appointment.

Departments: Manpower

Mark Hoban: To ask the Leader of the House how many press officers are employed by her Office.

Helen Goodman: None. Press office services are provided by the Cabinet Office Communication Group.

Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Leader of the House what the names are of each special adviser in her Office.

Helen Goodman: There are no special advisers currently in post.

Departments: Visits Abroad

Theresa May: To ask the Leader of the House how many overseas visits were made by  (a) officials and  (b) Ministers within her responsibility, and at what cost, in each year since 1997.

Helen Goodman: The total cost for the 2006-07 financial year yet to be published by the Cabinet Office amounted to £12,862.46. The details of destinations
	are as follows:
	
		
			  Dates  Destination 
			 18 to 19 April 2006 Vienna, Austria 
			 31 August 2006 The Hague, Netherlands 
			 3 October 2006 Brussels, Belgium 
			 28 October to 6 November Vietnam, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) 
			 16 to 20 November 2006 Delhi, India 
		
	
	All travel is undertaken in accordance with the civil service management code and the ministerial code.
	Details of overseas ministerial visits, including costs for Ministers and officials are published annually by the Cabinet Office and can be found at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/ministers/

Draft Legislative Programme

Graham Allen: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the oral statement by the Prime Minister of 11 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 1449-51, on the draft legislative programme, what discussions she has had with the Chairs of Select Committees and the Liaison Committee on making all Bills subject to pre-legislative scrutiny.

Helen Goodman: I have had no discussions with the Liaison Committee or other select committees on this point since the Prime Minister's statement, but the subject of pre-legislative scrutiny of Bills is one which has arisen in previous exchanges with the Liaison Committee. My right hon. Friend expects to meet the Liaison Committee in the autumn.

Draft Legislative Programme

Graham Allen: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the oral statement by the Prime Minister of 11 July 2007,  Official Report, columns 1449-51, on the draft legislative programme, how many Bills she is preparing for pre-legislative scrutiny in the new Session; and if she will make it her policy that all Bills will be subject to pre-legislative scrutiny unless a particular reason is given for a Bill not being so subject.

Helen Goodman: It is hoped to announce the planned draft Bills for next session at the beginning of the session in the normal way. Plans for draft Bills are more tentative than those for Bills expected to be introduced into the main programme and it is too soon to give an indication of a likely number of such Bills at this stage. Some indication of Bills being considered for publication in draft is given in Chapter 3 of the White Paper on the Government's Draft Legislative Programme (Cm 7175, P19).
	As I indicated to the hon. Member in answer to an earlier question at  Official Report 25 July 2007 column 1122, the Government endeavour to subject Bills to pre-legislative scrutiny, where timing and other constraints allow. Where a Bill is introduced which has not been published in draft the reasons for this will frequently be clear.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions since November 2006  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in her Department have had with representatives of the Jewish community to discuss anti-Semitism in England and Wales; and if she will make a statement.

Parmjit Dhanda: Ministers and officials have had a number of meetings with representatives of the Jewish community since November 2006. Discussions have been on a range of issues affecting the Jewish community, including anti-Semitism.

Coastal Areas: Flood Control

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding local authorities received for  (a) coastal and  (b) flood defences in the latest period for which figures are available.

Phil Woolas: I have been asked to reply.
	In the 2006-07 financial year, English local authorities received £65.8 million worth of capital grant from DEFRA for coast protection projects and £5.8 million for flood defence projects.
	Local authorities also received funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government to support non-capital expenditure. In 2006-07, this involved:
	£14 million for direct local authority expenditure on coast protection;
	£21 million for direct local authority expenditure on flood risk management;
	£27 million in connection with levies paid by local authorities to internal drainage boards;
	£23 million for levies paid to the Environment Agency. These help to fund agency works that are of local importance but do not meet national prioritisation criteria.
	Local authorities carry out works to manage flood risk on less critical watercourses and sea defences in some areas (flood defence) and are responsible for works to protect against coastal erosion (coast protection). However, the Environment Agency is the principal operating authority with responsibility for flood risk management in England from both rivers and the sea.

Council Housing: Construction

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if her Department will make an assessment of the merits of allowing local authorities to build council houses without recourse to independent registered social landlords.

Iain Wright: holding answer 23 July 2007
	On 23 July we published a Housing Green Paper which sets out the Government's plans to enhance the role of local authorities in securing the supply of social housing. It includes opportunities for councils to take more of a direct role in the delivery of new affordable homes.

Departments: Contracts

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, columns 152W-3W, on Departments: contracts, if she will place in the Library the data compiled for the European Commission to which the Answer refers;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2007,  Official Report, columns 152W-3W, on Departments: contracts, how much was spent on contracts awarded to external suppliers by public bodies sponsored by her Department in each year since 2001.

Iain Wright: The following table displays data compiled for the European Commission for calendar years ending 31 December 2003, 2004 and 2005 by Communities and Local Government. This listing includes those contracts of an estimated value above the threshold of the procurement regulations, entered into by Communities and Local Government and its affiliated, autonomous organisations.
	The data provided for the year ending 2005 also shows the type of activity contracted for, a brief description of the contract based on the Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV) code, the type of procurement procedure adopted and the total value of the contract.
	Provision of this further data for previous years could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Data from Communities EC statistical r eturn to OGC. 
			  £ 
			  Calendar y ear ending 31 Dec 05  Activity  Type of c ontract  Procedure  Value 
			 Communities centre including Work Construction and Civil Engineering Restricted 15,189,198 
			 Government Offices and Work Construction and Civil Engineering Restricted 18,454,136 
			 Executive Agencies Work Construction and Civil Engineering Restricted 15,944,592 
			  Work Construction and Civil Engineering Restricted 20,802,039 
			  Work Construction and Civil Engineering Restricted 19,059,277 
			  Work Construction and Civil Engineering Restricted 15,991,549 
			  Work Construction and Civil Engineering Restricted 20,664,375 
			  Work Construction and Civil Engineering Restricted 22,148,695 
			  Supply Storage Containers Restricted 8,600,000 
			  Service Advertising Consultancy Restricted 1,900,000 
			  Service Business Services Restricted 416,312 
			  Service Software development Negotiated 700,000 
			  Service Business Consultancy Restricted 220,312 
			  Service Office Cleaning Restricted 131,081 
			 Audit Commission Supplies Computer Supplies Open 900,000 
			  Services Exhibition Services Open 360,000 
			  Services Data processing Restricted 3,570,000 
			  Supplies Books, Brochures and Leaflets Restricted 900,000 
			  Services PR Consulting Restricted 80,000 
			 Housing Commission Service Technical Training Restricted 300,860 
			  Service Printing and Publishing Restricted 549,846 
			 London Thames Gateway Service Office Furniture Restricted 298,474 
			 Development Corporation Service Urban Development Restricted 163,424 
			 Thurrock Thames Gateway Service Urban Planning Restricted 165,531 
			 Development Corporation Service Urban Planning Restricted 180,000 
			 English Partnerships Works Road Construction Restricted 8,121,283 
			  Services Economic Research Restricted 2,471,951 
			  Works Highway Construction Restricted 1,986,042 
			  Services Vehicle Insurance Services Negotiated 240,000 
			  Works Construction Restricted 7,581,147 
			  Works Engineering and Construction Restricted 2,350,086 
			  Works Drainage Construction Restricted 1,065,614 
		
	
	
		
			  £ 
			  Calendar year ending 31 Dec 04  Activity  Value 
			 Centre including Government Offices and Executive Agencies Service 40,000,000 
			  Service 317,237 
			  Work 2,776,540 
			  Service 21,673,000 
			 Audit Commission Supply 288,441 
			  Service 977,046 
			  Service 100,000 
			  Service 180,000 
			  Service 117,000 
			  Service 150,000 
			  Service 100,000 
			 Housing Corporation Supply 215,601 
			  Service 1,616,554 
			 Planning Inspectorate Supply 119,344 
			  Service 821,798 
		
	
	
		
			  £ 
			  Calendar year ending 31 Dec 03  Activity  Value 
			 Centre including Government Offices and Executive Agencies. Service 135,000 
			  Service 178,200 
			  Service 109,703 
			  Service 155,731 
			  Service 148,770 
			  Service 119,534 
			  Service 135,750 
			  Service 209,161 
			  Service 127,797 
			  Service 164,550 
			  Service 191,826 
			  Service 483,060 
			  Service 187,116 
			  Service 116,640 
			  Service 278,306 
			  Service 894,180 
			  Service 1,062,000 
			  Service 150,575 
			 Audit Commission Supply 1,500,000 
			  Supply 240,000 
			  Supply 300,000 
			  Supply 15,000,000 
			  Service 19,000,000 
			  Service 375,000 
			  Service 300,000 
			  Service 200,000 
			 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre Service 1,992,000 
			 Planning Inspectorate Service 144,000

Departments: DVDs

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what DVDs have been produced by her Department and its predecessor in the last 24 months; how many copies were produced; and at what cost to the public purse for development, production and distribution.

Iain Wright: The majority of the DVDs produced by the Department are provided free to stakeholders and others to assist our communications and widen the scope and effectiveness of the Department's publicity activity.
	In the last 24 months DVDs produced through the communications directorate of Communities and Local Government and its predecessors were as follows:
	
		
			  Title  Number of copies  Overall cost (£) 
			 What is Community Empowerment? 5,000 1,747.00 
			 So you want to be a Firefighter? 30,000 17,399.00 
			 A Bigger Voice 1,000 48,997.00 
			 Local Government White Paper presentational DVD 2,010 11,626.00 
			 Cleaner Safer Greener 1 350.00 
			 CIH Conference 5 400.00 
			 Learner Framework 5,300 1,680.00 
			 MIPIM Exhibition DVD 3,000 7,496.00 
			 Beacon Scheme DVD 53 514.00

Derelict Land: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the  (a) availability,  (b) location and  (c) size of brownfield sites in London suitable for housing development.

Iain Wright: The responsibility for carrying out such an assessment lies with the Mayor of London. This work was undertaken and published in July 2005, in the London Housing Capacity Study. This study provides a comprehensive technical analysis of London's potential for future housing growth. It was used to inform the Early Alterations to the London Plan (published December 2006) which provided a minimum target for housing provision in London from 2007-08 to 2016-17, of 30,500 additional homes per year. The study can be found at:
	http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/planning/capacity_study/index.jsp
	Almost all housing development in London takes place on brownfield land (97 per cent. in 2005). From the Mayor's study, the distribution of identified housing capacity in London for the period 2007-08 to 2016-17 is shown in the following table. About half of identified capacity for housing in London over the next 10 years is located in seven boroughs: Newham, Tower Hamlets, Greenwich, Barnet, Redbridge, Southwark and Brent.
	
		
			  Total housing capacity by London borough, 2007-08 to 2016-17 
			  Borough  Large site capacity  Small site allowance  Non self-contained  Vacants  Total capacity  London plan annual target 
			 Camden 1,432 2,940 998 602 5,972 595 
			 City of Westminster 1,713 3,890 499 950 7,051 680 
			 Islington 4,213 5,703 1,330 0 11,246 1,160 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 694 1,677 116 0 2,487 350 
			 Lambeth 5,826 4,569 989 0 11,383 1,100 
			 Southwark 3,745 7,287 5,247 0 16,279 1,630 
			 Wandsworth 2,960 3,960 509 247 7,676 745 
			 Barking and Dagenham 10,756 1,153 0 0 11,909 1,190 
			 Bexley 2,419 957 54 258 3,688 345 
			 Corporation of London 0 1,654 66 0 1,720 90 
			 Greenwich 18,170 1,027 904 0 20,101 2,010 
			 Hackney 3,640 5,622 690 0 9,952 1,085 
			 Havering 3,533 1,572 0 0 5,105 535 
			 Lewisham 5,437 3,150 1,407 836 10,830 975 
			 Newham 30,371 4,297 441 0 35,109 3,510 
			 Redbridge 13,979 2,290 57 0 16,327 905 
			 Tower Hamlets 18,379 11,615 1,166 0 31,160 3,150 
			 Barnet 15,569 3,286 77 705 19,637 2,055 
			 Enfield 1,201 2,471 66 603 4,342 395 
			 Haringey 4,618 1,332 93 1,157 7,200 680 
			 Waltham Forest 2,342 3,099 184 380 6,005 665 
			 Bromley 1,540 3,259 30 406 5,235 485 
			 Croydon 5,130 3,905 241 1,946 11,222 1,100 
			 Kingston upon Thames 2,088 1,405 1,150 0 4,643 385 
			 Merton 1,576 1,944 114 234 3,868 370 
			 Richmond upon Thames 951 1,706 31 0 2,689 270 
			 Sutton 1,019 2,445 0 0 3,464 345 
			 Brent 7,769 2,877 1,000 1,500 13,146 1,120 
			 Ealing 6,595 1,739 133 0 8,466 915 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,618 1,314 273 585 4,790 450 
			 Harrow 2,324 1,276 146 257 4,002 400 
			 Hillingdon 1,902 1,268 243 843 4,256 365 
			 Hounslow 2,882 1,458 30 0 4,370 445 
			  187,387 98,146 18,284 11,509 315,327 30,500 
			  Note: Discussions between the GLA and the boroughs on the identified 10-year housing capacity resulted in some changes to the study outputs. These changes are reflected in the housing targets included in the London plan (final column of the table).  Large site capacity: Individually identified sites over 0.5 hectares.  Small site allowance: An allowance from sites less than 0.5 hectares, based on past performance but adjusted for future identified housing opportunities and intensification.  Non self-contained: Residential units that do not fall within the planning use class of dwelling houses.  Vacants: Long-term vacant dwellings returning to use  Source: Table 18, 2004 London Housing Capacity Study (Greater London Authority (GLA), July 2005).

Empty Property: North East Region

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes in  (a) private ownership and  (b) public ownership have been empty for more than six months in each local authority in the north east of England.

Iain Wright: The information requested is presented as follows:
	
		
			  Number of long term dwelling vacancies (over six months) in north east local authorities by borough; 1 April 2006 
			Private( 1)  LA( 2)  RSL( 3) 
			 35UB Alnwick 245 16 0 
			 35UC Berwick-upon-Tweed 0 (4)— 0 
			 35UD Blyth Valley 348 24 8 
			 35UE Castle Morpeth 487 7 3 
			 20UB Chester-le-Street 50 37 2 
			 00EH Darlington 480 52 2 
			 20UD Derwentside 608 57 11 
			 20UE Durham 658 65 6 
			 20UF Easington 746 (4)— 6 
			 00CH Gateshead 1,665 161 50 
			 00EB Hartlepool 545 (5)— 37 
			 00EC Middlesbrough 1,206 (5)— 478 
			 00CJ Newcastle upon Tyne 3,923 298 191 
			 00CK North Tyneside 571 162 9 
			 00EE Redcar and Cleveland 810 (4)— 228 
			 20UG Sedgefield 734 50 55 
			 00CL South Tyneside 838 145 74 
			 00EF Stockton-on-Tees 992 619 10 
			 00CM Sunderland 1,679 (5)— 1,253 
			 20UH Teesdale 153 (4)— 0 
			 35UF Tynedale 308 (5)— 5 
			 35UG Wansbeck 448 55 0 
			 20UJ Wear Valley 585 49 4 
			 (1 )Source: Private vacancies (over six months) reported through the Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA). (2 )Source:( )Local authority vacancies (over six months) reported through the Business Plan Statistical Appendix (BPSA). (3 )Source:( )Registered social landlord long term vacancies are based on a proxy measure—"RSL vacants not available for rent" as reported through the Regulatory Statistical Return. (4 )Information not available. (5 )No local authority stock. 
		
	
	Figures for the private and local authority tenures are presented for those dwellings empty for more than six months as reported by local authorities. Figures for registered social landlord vacancies are based on numbers of vacancies not available for rent as a proxy for long term vacancies.

Fire Services: Ethnic Groups

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many black and minority ethnic firefighters there are, broken down by  (a) brigade,  (b) race and  (c) religion.

Parmjit Dhanda: Available information, based on returns provided by each Fire and Rescue Service, is shown as follows. Information on religion is not centrally held.
	
		
			  Table: Ethnic origin of firelighters as at 31 March 2006—England 
			  Fire and rescue service  Mixed  Asian or Asian British  Black or black British  Chinese or other ethnic group  Total 
			 Avon 4 1 7 2 14 
			 Bedfordshire and Luton 7 0 7 0 14 
			 Buckinghamshire 1 0 5 0 6 
			 Cambridgeshire 7 1 1 1 10 
			 Cheshire 4 2 1 1 8 
			 Cleveland 1 3 2 0 6 
			 Cornwall 3 0 0 0 3 
			 County Durham and Darlington 1 0 3 0 4 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire 3 4 1 1 9 
			 Devon 0 1 3 1 5 
			 Dorset 0 0 2 4 6 
			 East Sussex 5 3 0 0 8 
			 Essex 8 2 3 0 13 
			 Gloucestershire 5 0 7 1 13 
			 Greater Manchester 14 6 13 0 33 
			 Hampshire 4 2 0 1 7 
			 Hereford and Worcester 2 0 2 1 5 
			 Hertfordshire 4 2 4 0 10 
			 Humberside 7 1 2 0 10 
			 Isle Of Wight 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Isles Of Scilly 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Kent 6 4 5 1 16 
			 Lancashire 0 5 6 1 12 
			 Leicestershire 2 4 5 3 14 
			 Lincolnshire 4 0 3 0 7 
			 London 158 55 278 57 548 
			 Merseyside 7 1 9 5 22 
			 Norfolk 3 1 1 0 5 
			 North Yorkshire 2 1 0 1 4 
			 Northamptonshire 4 1 1 1 7 
			 Northumberland 0 0 1 0 1 
			 Nottinghamshire 3 2 6 0 11 
			 Oxfordshire 0 2 0 1 3 
			 Royal Berkshire 7 3 3 0 13 
			 Shropshire 2 0 2 1 5 
			 Somerset 0 0 1 0 1 
			 South Yorkshire 7 0 9 5 21 
			 Staffordshire 12 1 5 0 18 
			 Suffolk 5 2 4 1 12 
			 Surrey 3 2 4 0 9 
			 Tyne and Wear 0 3 3 0 6 
			 Warwickshire 8 4 0 5 17 
			 West Midlands 21 12 55 19 107 
			 West Sussex 2 1 1 2 6 
			 West Yorkshire 15 12 9 1 37 
			 Wiltshire 3 0 7 0 10 
			   
			 England 354 144 481 117 1,096 
			  Source: 2005-06 Annual returns to Communities and Local Government

Fire Services: Flood Control

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what provision is being made to reimburse fire services for their costs in dealing with the recent flood emergencies; and what provision is being made to increase their reserves.

Parmjit Dhanda: Two separate schemes of emergency financial assistance have been set up to assist local authorities affected by flooding in June and July. Fire and rescue authorities are eligible for grants from these schemes. Each authority claiming grant must have spent 0.2 per cent. of its revenue budget on eligible activities in the financial year to date. Above that threshold, 100 per cent. of eligible costs will be reimbursed, an increase from the normal 85 per cent. Authorities will also be able to claim grant on eligible expenditure up to six months from the beginning of the emergency. This is an increase from two months under normal Bellwin schemes.
	It is for authorities to determine the level of reserves which they hold.

Floods: Tewkesbury

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions she has had with Severn Vale Housing on providing help to residents who have been flooded in the Tewkesbury constituency; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: I am answering this question as Minister for Local Government, responsible for co-ordinating the Government's contribution to recovery from the recent floods.
	I understand that Severn Vale Housing have been in contact with their tenants over the last few days to find out how many are affected by the floods and what their needs are. They have been working with the local authority to secure temporary accommodation for the worst affected tenants by utilising all available bed and breakfast accommodation in the area.
	Severn Vale Housing are working with the local authority and Severn Trent Water to identify all their residents who are vulnerable in order to ensure that they get priority in the delivery of bottled water. They are arranging deliveries of bottled water to all their sheltered accommodation.
	It will be several weeks before the full extent of the damage caused by the floods will become clear. My officials are working with Tewkesbury borough council, Severn Vale Housing and other local partners to support them as they assess the needs of those residents affected by the floods.

Freedom of Information

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance the Audit Commission has given to local authorities in relation to the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and what research the Commission has conducted in relation to that Act.

Iain Wright: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member directly.
	 Letter from Steve Bundred, dated 25 July 2007:
	The Department for Communities and Local Government has asked me to reply to your parliamentary question on guidance to local authorities in relation to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
	The Audit Commission has not provided general guidance to local authorities on the Freedom of Information Act 2000, as this is primarily a matter for the Information Commissioner. The Commission's auditors and inspectors may, however, have had discussions with individual local authorities as part of their work.
	As part of a wider Audit Commission national study on "Making better use of information to drive improvement in public services", the Audit Commission commissioned the Constitution Unit of University College London (UCL) to undertake research into Freedom of Information. This resulted in a report "Improving access to and use of public sector information (Helping local authorities to develop good practice in the context of the Freedom of Information Act 2000)". This report is available in full on the Commission website at http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/localgovernment/foi/index.asp?
	In addition UCL has also published good practice recommendations for cost-effective compliance with the FOI Act. These are UCL's recommendations and are published on its website at the following link http://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/foidp/local.htm
	A copy of this letter will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

Housing: Flood Control

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of residential development in England was on floodplain land in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: The publication 'Land Use Change in England: Residential Development to 2006 (LUCS22)' shows that, on a provisional estimate, 9 per cent. of all dwellings in 2005 were built in flood risk areas. A more robust estimate for 2004 shows that 10 per cent. of all dwellings were built in flood risk areas during that year. This is in line with levels of existing development—flood risk areas account for about 12 per cent. of land in England, including parts of major cities, and around 10 per cent. of the population already live in flood risk areas.
	The definition of high flood risk areas and floodplain used by Communities and Local Government is the high risk zone mapped by the Environment Agency as being at a probability of flooding, excluding the presence of flood defences, of at least a one in one hundred years for river flooding and at least a one in two hundred years for coastal flooding. This is the basis for the definition of "high risk areas" in PPS25.
	Flood risk is a major factor in the location of new development. The Government's aim is to avoid inappropriate development in areas of high flood risk. The Government published Planning Policy Statement (PPS25) in December 2006 to strengthen and clarify earlier policy on this issue.
	PPS25 ensures that flood risk must be taken into account at all stages of the planning process. Development that would not be safe in the higher flood risk areas should be directed to areas of lower risk wherever this is practicable. In particular, more vulnerable development, such as housing, should not be permitted in high risk areas unless it can be clearly demonstrated that the need for the development outweighs the risk, and it will be safe, without increasing flood risk.

Housing: Flood Control

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what statistics her Department compiles on residential development on flood plains.

Iain Wright: The Department's publication "Land Use Change in England: Residential Development to 2006 (LUCS22)" contains the most recent data on residential development on flood plains. It shows the amount and percentage of land changing to residential use, and the percentage of new dwellings built on previously-developed land, within flood risk areas, as well as the proportion of all new dwellings built on flood plains.
	The publication LUCS22, published in May 2007, is available on the Communities and Local Government website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/embedded_object.asp?id=1510817

Housing: Greater London

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of domestic property sales in London in the last period for which figures are available were for a value of  (a) £250,000 to £500,000 and  (b) above £500,000.

Iain Wright: Using HM Land Registry data the number and proportion of all residential property sales in London for 2006 that were sold for a value of  (a) above £250,000 up to and including £500,000 was 54,100 (32 per cent.), and for  (b) above £500,000 was 17,100 (10 per cent.).

Housing: Low Incomes

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of planned new housing will be social housing.

Iain Wright: The Government's Green Paper, 'Homes for the future more affordable, more sustainable' was launched on 23 July outlines the Government's plans for delivering new homes. We are taking urgent action to meet growing demand and address the serious issue of housing affordability. Our new target will deliver 240,000 additional homes a year by 2016.
	We are providing £8 billion over the next three years to invest in affordable housing. This new investment will help to deliver 45,000 new social homes a year by 2010-11 with a goal to reach 50,000 in the next spending review.

Housing: Private Finance Initiative

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of estimated payments under her Department's private finance initiative contracts is projected to be spent on the construction of houses in each year between 2008 and 2019.

Iain Wright: Data are not available in the format requested. Of the total £3.7 billion PFI credits allocated to this Department, £2.7 billion will be used for the Housing PFI Programme: £620 million has been allocated, or set aside, for schemes that will deliver additional social rented housing. Schemes currently on the programme are projected to provide over 3,000 new social rented homes by 2013. The remaining PFI credits have been allocated to schemes that will reduce the number of non-decent homes by over 28,300.
	PFI credits act as a promise of government funding and indicate the level of capital investment which will attract government support. Once a PFI scheme is operational, PFI credits entitle the local authority to on-going subsidy from the Department, over the life of the PFI contract, typically 15-30 years.
	Subsidy for PFI schemes is paid on a fixed, annual basis over the life of the contract. Subsidy is calculated based on the overall capital cost of a scheme and does not reflect capital expenditure in individual years.
	The following tables detail the number of additional social rented houses projected to be constructed during the years 2008-19, and includes the level of PFI credits and annual subsidy payments for schemes which have signed.
	
		
			  Housing PFI Programme— Schemes delivering a dditional  s ocial  r ented  h ousing 
			  Local authority  Project name  PFI credits (£m)  Annual subsidy to LA (£m)  Total number of units  Construction p rofile 
			   2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 
			  Signed Schemes
			 Coventry city council New homes for old 14.7 1.18 120 units expected to be constructed prior to 2008-09 — — — 
			 London borough of Croydon New for old 6.33 0.46 40 8 — — 
			 Derby city council Inner city regeneration 2.8 0.24 150(1) units purchased and refurbished prior to 2008-09 — — — 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham Homes for older people 4.7 0.38 32 units constructed prior to 2008-09 — — — 
			 North East Derby district council Holmewood 0.36 0.03 51 units constructed prior to 2008-09 — — — 
			 Selby district council PFI Project One 6.74 0.54 250 60 — — 
			 Warrington borough council Anson and Blenheim 4.30 0.29 105 units constructed prior to 2008-09 — — — 
			  Phase 2 2.00 0.16 38 38 — — 
		
	
	
		
			   Construction profile 
			  Local authority  2011-12  2012-13  2013-14  2014-15  2015-16  2016-17  2017-18  2018-19 
			  Signed Schemes — — — — — — — — 
			 Coventry city council — — — — — — — — 
			 London borough of Croydon — — — — — — — — 
			 Derby city council — — — — — — — — 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham — — — — — — — — 
			 North East Derby district council — — — — — — — — 
			 Selby district council — — — — — — — — 
			 Warrington borough council — — — — — — — — 
		
	
	
		
			  Local authority  Project name  PFI credits (£m)  Annual subsidy to LA (£m)  Projected number of units  Projected construction profile 
			   2008-09  2009-10  2010-11  2011-12  20012-13  2013-14 
			  Schemes in procurement   
			 London Borough of Brent Social housing and social care — — 380 95 95 95 95 — — 
			 Cheshire county council Extra care housing project — — 240 140 — — — — — 
			 Derby city council Additional social rented (—) (—) (2)175 15 130 30 — — — 
			 Kent county council Better homes active lives — — 342 282 48 — — — — 
			 Leeds city council Independent living — — 265 65 100 100 — — — 
			 West Wiltshire district council Additional social rented — — 400 — 100 100 100 100 — 
			  Schemes d eveloping  o utline  b usiness  c ases   
			 Guildford borough council Additional social rented — — 223 — 89 134 — — — 
			 Medway Shaws Wood and Woodlands Care Courts — — 30 30 — — — — — 
			 Woking borough council Additional social rented — — 165 — 121 44 — — — 
			 Total  (3)437.00 
			 Oldham metropolitan borough council Gateways to Oldham (—) (—) (4)22 — — — — 22 — 
		
	
	
		
			  Local authority  Projected construction profile 
			   2014-15  2015-16  2016-17  2017-18  2018-19 
			  Schemes in procurement  
			 London Borough of Brent — — — — — 
			 Cheshire county council — — — — — 
			 Derby city council — — — — — 
			 Kent county council — — — — — 
			 Leeds city council — — — — — 
			 West Wiltshire district council — — — — — 
			  Schemes d eveloping  o utline  b usiness  c ases  
			 Guildford borough council — — — —  
			 Medway — — — —  
			 Woking borough council — — — —  
			   
			 Oldham metropolitan borough council — — — — — 
			 (1 )Derby city council's signed scheme is for the purchase and refurbishment of private sector non-decent units, rather than construction of new units.  (2) Derby city council's scheme in procurement includes maximum of 85 units purchased from private sector for refurbishment and minimum of 90 new build units.  (3) Total PFI credits currently allocated to schemes to deliver additional social rented units, remainder set aside for Round 5 schemes.  (4) Funded from the Decent Homes element of the Programme.

Housing: Standards

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether properties assessed as a category 1 hazard under the housing health and safety rating system will not meet the decent homes standard; and how many properties fell into this category in 2006-07.

Iain Wright: The Guidance, "A Decent Home: Definition and guidance for implementation (June 2006—Update)" advises that properties assessed as a Category 1 hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System will be considered non-decent in failing to meet the minimum statutory standard. First estimates for the number of properties non-decent on this criterion will become available from the 2006 English House Condition Survey with headline results due to be published in January 2008. The Guidance can be found on the Communities and Local Government website at
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/191/ADecentHomeDefinitionandguidanceforimplementation June2006update_id1152191.pdf

Housing: Standards

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans her Department has to introduce new  (a) league tables and  (b) inspection regimes for (i) council housing and (ii) social housing.

Iain Wright: In "Delivering Housing and Regeneration—Communities England and the Future of Social Housing Regulation", launched on 19 June 2007, the Government proposed accepting Professor Cave's proposals for regulatory reform and began a consultation to determine stakeholders' views. Under these proposals, the regulator would:
	(a) collect information from social landlords to allow it to intervene to prevent poor performance, and to allow tenants and others to compare the performance of social landlords at a local level
	(b) commission inspections of social landlords where there are indications of poor performance, but good performers will have few or no inspections
	Professor Cave recommended that the reformed regulatory system should apply to all social housing, whether provided by local authorities, housing associations or other bodies, so that tenants could compare services across the social housing domain and expect the same level of minimum service standards. The Government have proposed immediately accepting the new system for housing associations, but is exploring in more detail how local authority and ALMO performance could be regulated.

Land: Databases

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which organisation has been awarded the contract by English Partnerships to conduct a study of the National Land Use Database; and what the remit is of the review.

Iain Wright: Kingston university has been appointed to conduct the review of the National Land Use Database of Previously-Developed Land (NLUD-PDL). Its remit is to review the data collection and management methodology of NLUD-PDL, specifically to improve its timeliness, quality and usefulness both to central Government and to local authorities.

Local Government: Interpreters

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department and its agencies have given to  (a) local authorities and  (b) housing associations on providing interpreters and translation services for those who do not speak English.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department for Communities and Local Government has not issued any guidance to local authorities and housing associations on the provision of interpretation and translation services since its inception in May 2006.
	In December 2006 the Secretary of State for Local Government asked the Commission on Integration and Cohesion to consider this issue alongside its final report. The Commission published its final report in June 2007 which includes a set of principles on translation for local authorities and recommends that the Government develops these principles into guidance. The Government will respond to the Commission on Integration and Cohesion's recommendations in the autumn.

Members: Correspondence

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to reply to the letter of 20 June 2007 from the hon. Member for Hertsmere on gypsy and traveller sites in Hertfordshire.

Iain Wright: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 28 June 2007.

Mortgages

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate the Government have made of the number of mortgage lenders who offer fixed rate mortgages for terms of 10 years or longer.

Iain Wright: This data is not collected by Communities and Local Government.

Non-Domestic Rates: Agriculture

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for her Department's review of the business rate exemptions for agricultural land and buildings.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have given to the hon. Member for North-East Bedfordshire (Alistair Burt) on 25 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1151W.

Ordnance Survey: Publications

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the last technology tracking system report produced by Ordnance Survey.

Iain Wright: Ordnance Survey has not produced an internal technology tracking system report since January 2005. These reports were internal management documents.
	However the Research and Innovation (Research Labs) division within Ordnance Survey published an annual review of foresight and trends in the development and use of geographic information in September 2006. This document is intended to introduce the work of this division to a wider and external audience.
	I have today placed copies of the Ordnance Survey Research Labs Annual Review 2005-06 in the Library of the House.

Planning Inspectorate: Standards

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the effect of delays in setting start dates for appeals is on the Planning Inspectorate's performance against the ministerial targets on timeliness.

Iain Wright: None. Ministerial timeliness targets for appeals are based on the starting date and not the date when the appeal is received.

Planning Inspectorate: Standards

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government at what point in time consideration of an appeal by the Planning Inspectorate is deemed to have commenced for the purpose of the Inspectorate's performance statistics.

Iain Wright: For statistical purposes, an appeal is deemed to have commenced from the date written notice is given by the Planning Inspectorate to the appellant and the local planning authority that all the documents required to enable the appeal to proceed have been received (the "starting date").

Planning Permission

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications have been drawn to her attention as a consequence of the provisions of section 8 of planning circular 04/06; and what her decision was on whether to call in the application in each case.

Iain Wright: Five planning applications have been referred to the Secretary of State under Circular 04/2006. One application has been called in, three have not, and one remains under consideration.

Planning Permission: Flood Control

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications in England for development on floodplains have been  (a) refused and  (b) approved by the Planning Inspectorate in the last 12 months.

Iain Wright: The Planning Inspectorate does not record the information centrally. It cannot be retrieved without disproportionate cost.

Planning: Appeals

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes the Planning Inspectorate has made to the practice of setting start dates from when an appeal is received in the last 24 months.

Iain Wright: None.

Planning: Electromagnetic Fields

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to implement the recommendations of the Stakeholder Advisory Group on Electro-magnetic Fields' report to ensure that magnetic fields below power lines do not exceed 0.4mT.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	I am grateful to the Stakeholder Advisory Group on Extremely Low Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields for all the hard work that has gone into the production of its report. The Government will now need to consider the implications of the report's conclusions and recommendations.

Refuges: East Sussex

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many women were recorded as being housed in refuges and safe houses in  (a) Eastbourne and  (b) East Sussex in each of the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: The Department does not hold a total figure centrally.
	Information about local authorities' actions under homelessness legislation is collected quarterly at local authority level. The duty owed to a household accepted as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need is to secure suitable accommodation. If a settled home is not immediately available the authority may secure temporary accommodation until settled accommodation is provided.
	One type of temporary accommodation is women's refuges. A breakdown by local authority of reported households in women's refuges under homelessness provisions at the end of March from 1998 to 2007 has been placed in the Library of the House. The local authorities that make up East Sussex are: Eastbourne borough council, Hastings borough council, Lewes district council, Rother district council, and Wealden district council.
	Women may also enter refuges without going through the statutory homelessness route. Many women's refuges receive Supporting People funding, and records of new entrants to Supporting People funded services are submitted by service providers on the client record form.
	Data from the client record form are published on the Centre for Housing Research's website. for financial years and at administrative authority level. This includes the number of new clients entering Supporting People funded women's refuges, for service providers in each of the administrating authorities, including East Sussex county council, from 2003-04 to 2006-07, and is available at
	http://ggsrv-cold.st-andrews.ac.uk/spclientrecord/

Regional Planning and Development: South East Region

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to amend the draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South East by increasing the annual building target above 29,000 a year.

Parmjit Dhanda: Proposed changes to the draft regional spatial strategy for the South East of England will be published following the receipt and publication of the panel's recommendations resulting from the examination in public.
	The proposed changes will be consulted on and representations on the changes considered, before the final version of the RSS is approved and published.

Regional Planning and Development: South East Region

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she plans to amend the South East England Regional Assembly's draft Regional Spatial Strategy.

Parmjit Dhanda: Proposed changes to the draft regional spatial strategy for the South East of England will be published following the receipt and publication of the panel's recommendations resulting from the examination in public.
	The proposed changes will be consulted on and representations on the changes considered, before the final version of the RSS is approved and published.

Smoking: Planning Permission

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether outdoor smoking shelters require planning permission; and what guidance her Department has given to local planning authorities on them.

Iain Wright: Outdoor smoking shelters will normally require planning permission although freestanding awnings and canopies may not. While Communities and Local Government has not issued specific guidance, leaving specific matters to the discretion of local authorities and particular local considerations, the Department of Health has worked closely with the Planning Officers' Society to produce guidance for local planning authorities on this issue.

Thames Gateway

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the concerns raised about the Thames Gateway project in the evidence taken by the Public Accounts Select Committee at its meeting on 13 June 2007, HC 693-i.

Iain Wright: 1 refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen) on 25 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1155W.

Travelling People

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) title and  (b) date was of the European Court of Human Rights ruling which requires legislation proposed to be introduced in the forthcoming Housing and Regeneration Bill.

Iain Wright: The European Court of Human Rights ruling which the Government's draft legislative programme proposes to implement in a Housing and Regeneration Bill is that in the case of Connors  v. United Kingdom, given on 27 May 2004.

Unitary Councils

Angela Browning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether it is her policy to approve unitary status only for those councils which command broad stakeholder support.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to my written statement of 25 July 2007,  Official Report, column 68WS. Our Invitation to Councils makes clear proposals will proceed towards implementation only if they were judged to meet the five criteria, one of which is that proposals must be supported by a broad cross section of partners and stakeholders.

Urban Areas: Wind Power

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what her Department's policy is on siting wind turbines in urban areas;
	(2)  what planning guidance her Department issues to local authorities on requests for permission to site wind turbines in urban areas.

Iain Wright: We consulted earlier this year on a new Planning Policy Statement (PPS) on planning and climate change. This sets out our proposals for how planning should contribute to reducing emissions, and make a full contribution to delivering the Government's Climate Change Programme and energy policies. This includes giving greater emphasis to local renewable sources for supplying the energy needs of new developments and looking favourably on proposals for renewable energy including the use of wind turbines.
	The draft PPS builds on our policies in PPS22 "Renewable Energy" which state that renewable energy developments should be capable of being accommodated throughout England in locations where the technology is viable, and environmental, economic, and social impacts can be addressed satisfactorily. PPS22 sets out the detailed considerations applicable to determining planning applications for renewable energy projects, including wind turbines. PPS22 is supported by a Companion Guide that provides practical advice for considering proposals for renewable energy.

Valuation Office: Databases

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Valuation Office Agency submitted a bid to the tendering process to set up and maintain the  (a) home condition report database and  (b) energy performance certificate database.

Iain Wright: No such bid was submitted by the Valuation Office Agency.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Correspondence: Cabinet Office

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many items of correspondence were received by Cabinet Office Ministers from right hon. and hon. Members in  (a) 2005 and  (b) 2006; what the target time for replying to such correspondence is; and how many replies were sent within the target time.

Edward Miliband: The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members/Peers correspondence. The report for 2006 was published on 28 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 101-04WS. The report for 2005 was published on 30 March 2006,  Official Report, columns 75-78WS.

Departments: Air Conditioning

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was spent by his Department and its agencies on the hire of mobile air conditioning units in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: Information on how much the Cabinet Office and its agencies has spent on air conditioning units prior to 2006-07 can be provided only at disproportionate costs.
	The Cabinet Office has not spent any money on the hire of mobile air conditioning units in the financial years 2006-07 and 2007 to date.

Departments: Community Development

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  which social enterprises, excluding registered social landlords, have contracts awarded by his Department; and what the value is of each such contract;
	(2)  with which social enterprises his Department has contracts; and what the value of each contract is.

Phil Hope: Businesses that are awarded contracts by my Department are not currently required to state whether they are social enterprises and no detailed central record of contracts awarded is held. Therefore the information for my Department as a whole is only available at disproportionate cost.
	However, since 1 April 2007, the Office of the Third Sector within the Cabinet Office has contracted, or provided grants to, with the following social enterprises and social enterprise representative bodies either on strategic partnerships and/or for other services at a total cost of £2,821,300:
	CAN
	Cats Pyjamas
	Co-operatives UK
	Development Trusts Association
	Pack-It
	Plunkett Foundation
	Prowess
	School for Social Entrepreneurs
	Social Enterprise Coalition
	Social Enterprise London
	Social Firms UK

Departments: Energy

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the energy consumption was of the Cabinet Office  (a) in total and  (b) per square metre of building occupied in each year from 2001 to date.

Phil Hope: The energy consumption for the Cabinet Office  (a) in total and  (b) per square metre of building occupied in each year from 2001 to date is shown in the table.
	
		
			   Total kWh  kWh/Sq m 
			 2000-01 21,849,695 335 
			 2001-02 24,637,107 329 
			 2002-03 23,100,770 273 
			 2003-04 20,053,061 232 
			 2004-05 23,901,966 245 
			 2005-06 20,830,010 274

Departments: Official Cars

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many vehicles are  (a) owned and  (b) leased by (i) the Cabinet Office and (ii) the Prime Minister's Office, broken down by (A) fuel type and (B) engine cubic capacity.

Phil Hope: The Prime Minister's Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office. The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Vehicles owned by the Department 
			  Number of vehicles  Fuel type  Engine cubic capacity 
			 1 Hybrid 1,497 
			 1 Diesel 2,500 
		
	
	
		
			  Vehicles Leased by the Department 
			  Number of vehicles  Fuel Type  Engine Cubic Capacity 
			 9 Hybrid 1,497 
			 2 Petrol 2,792 
			 1 Petrol 2,497 
			 1 Petrol 1,999

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Standards

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which public service agreement targets were  (a) met and  (b) missed by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in the 12 months prior to it being disbanded.

Edward Miliband: The Deputy Prime Minister's Office had no public service agreement targets of its own, but in its role co-ordinating Government policy made an important contribution to the delivery of PSA targets across Government.

Office of the Third Sector

Andrew Love: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what process the Office of the Third Sector will adopt to ensure that funding for social enterprise research reaches the most appropriate academics;
	(2)  if the Office of the Third Sector will commission research into the way social enterprises operate in and impact upon markets; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how much the Office of the Third Sector is expected to spend on research into social enterprise in 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: When commissioning research the Office of the Third Sector (OTS) uses its networks and formal academic channels to ensure funding is distributed to research which is original, of value to us and the sector, and of the highest level of academic excellence. In addition it is our practice to be transparent in our commissioning, including research.
	The OTS commissioned Hull University to undertake a feasibility study of developing a method for understanding the economic and impact of social enterprise (published January 2007). Other research already undertaken includes:
	IFF Research (2005) "A survey of social enterprise across the UK"
	GHK (2005) "Review of the Social Enterprise Strategy"
	"Annual Small Business Survey 2005 (published 2006)"
	"BS Household Survey of Entrepreneurship 2005 (published 2006)"
	Copies of these will be placed in the Library for the reference of Members.
	During 2007-08 OTS expects to deliver on the initial commitments made in the Social Enterprise Action Plan, published in November 2006, to undertake targeted "think pieces" and other ad hoc pieces of research which explore the role, innovation, value and impact of social enterprises at a cost of around £100,000. Other research commissioned in 2007-08 includes:
	Two action research projects, costing £200,000 in total, to investigate ways to connect investors interested in a blended social and financial return with Social Enterprises needing finance.
	A small scoping study costing £20,000 on social enterprise networks being undertaken by Rocket Science.

Olympic Games: Greater London

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what funding has been allocated to  (a) Hampshire and  (b) Southampton in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games; and what assessment she has made of the potential long-term effects on the people of Hampshire of the Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: The South East Partnership for the 2012 Games has set out clearly what it can offer and what it intends to gain from the 2012 Games in its regional plan: 'Compete, Create, Collaborate'. The South East Partnership has identified three key priorities: to build on its strengths, to showcase its 'world class' offer, and to create a sustainable legacy. In order to co-ordinate and drive forward this work the South East England Development Agency and Sport England South East have appointed a South East Co-ordinator for the 2012 Games. In addition and in order to drive forward the delivery of the Cultural Olympiad in the south-east, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is joint funding a Creative Programmer post in the region.
	We are in the process of setting up an independent charity, the Legacy Trust, with £40 million lottery and grant in aid, to ensure a UK-wide celebration of the Games. The Legacy Trust has committed to providing a fair proportion of its funding for each region.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Bloody Sunday Tribunal of Inquiry: Costs

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost of the Saville inquiry has been to date; when he expects it to report; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: The cash spend on the Bloody Sunday inquiry was £178.264 million at the end of April 2007.
	The preparation of the inquiry report is a matter for the tribunal. Due to the vast amount of evidence that must be considered, it is difficult at this stage to be precise about when the report will be presented to me, although I am advised that this is unlikely before the end of this calendar year and some further time may be needed beyond that.

Department: Legislation

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legislative provisions introduced by his Department since 1997 have not yet been brought into force.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office has introduced 25 Bills since 1997.
	 Commenced in full.
	Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning Act 1997
	Northern Ireland (Elections) Act 1998 (this has been repealed)
	Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1998 (this has been repealed)
	Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998
	Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998
	Northern Ireland (Location of Victims' Remains) Act 1999
	Northern Ireland Act 2000 (this has been repealed)
	Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2000
	Northern Ireland Arms Decommissioning (Amendment) Act 2002
	Northern Ireland Assembly Elections Act 2003
	Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections and Periods of Suspension) Act 2003
	Northern Ireland (Monitoring Commission etc.) Act 2003
	Electoral Registration (Northern Ireland) Act 2005 (this has been repealed)
	Northern Ireland Act 2006 (this has been repealed)
	Terrorism (Northern Ireland) Act 2006
	Northern Ireland (St. Andrews Agreement) Act 2007
	 Partially commenced:
	Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998
	Northern Ireland Act 1998
	Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000
	Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002
	Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2003
	Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004
	Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006
	Northern Ireland (St. Andrews Agreement) 2006
	Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007

Department: Legislation

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what legislative provisions introduced by his Department since 1997 have been repealed.

Paul Goggins: The Northern Ireland Office has introduced 25 Bills since 1997.
	 Repealed in full:
	Northern Ireland (Elections) Act 1998
	Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1998
	Northern Ireland Act 2000
	Electoral Registration (Northern Ireland) Act 2005
	Northern Ireland Act 2006
	 Partially repealed:
	Northern Ireland Act 1998
	Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998
	Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000
	Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002
	Northern Ireland Assembly Elections Act 2003
	Northern Ireland (St. Andrews Agreement) Act 2006

Departments: Agencies

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Department paid in fees to recruitment agencies for  (a) temporary and  (b) permanent staff in each year since 1997.

Paul Goggins: The information required to enable the Northern Ireland Office to answer this question is not readily available. The collation of such information falls within the disproportionate cost threshold of £700.
	Most Northern Ireland Office recruitment is carried out free of charge by Northern Ireland Recruitment Service, an Agency of the Department of Finance & Personnel. Recruitment consultants are used only where Recruitment Service competitions fail to produce suitable candidates or where executive searches are required to identify suitably skilled and experienced applicants.

Departments: Air Conditioning

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by his Department and its agencies on the hire of mobile air conditioning units in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The Public Prosecution Service in Belfast hired a small number of mobile air conditioning units in May 2004 at a cost of £500. Other than this, the NIO and its agencies have not hired mobile air conditioning units in any of the last five years.

Departments: Official Hospitality

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on hospitality events in each of the last five years.

Paul Goggins: The following table illustrates the amount the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), excluding its Agencies and Executive NDPBs, has spent on hospitality in each of the last five years.
	Expenditure from the NIO's hospitality budgets includes general living costs for Ministers, and official visitors staying at Hillsborough Castle and Stormont House. In addition to its own use, the NIO permits a wide range of organisations to use the facilities at Hillsborough Castle for a variety of events. These organisations include; other NI Government Departments, the Prison Service, the Police Service, the armed services, and a variety of charitable organisations. Disaggregating the overall figures would only be possible at disproportionate cost. Customers using Hillsborough Castle and Stormont House are charged for the services they receive. The table also illustrates how the recoupment offsets the expenditure.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Hospitality expenditure 363,755 319,741 258,436 299,634 404,476 
			 Recouped from customers 63,325 67,583 64,986 88,862 141,843 
			 Actual amount spent on NIO hospitality 300,430 252,158 193,450 210,772 262,633

Departments: Travel

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by his Department on first class train tickets in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: £18,919 was spent on first class rail tickets in 2006-07 (this is the last 12 months for which audited expenditure figures are available).

Monuments: County Armagh

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the case for the creation of a permanent memorial in the village of Bessbrook, County Armagh to recognise the service and sacrifice of the military in the South Armagh area following the closure of the Bessbrook Mill base.

Paul Goggins: The Government recognise the service and sacrifices made by the military in South Armagh which has made a substantial contribution to the progress that has taken place in NI. Ministers have agreed to consider how best this should be recognised and I will write to the hon. Lady once this has been completed.

Prisoners Release

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners were released from each prison in Northern Ireland before completing their full sentences in each month since January.

Paul Goggins: I am not aware that any prisoner has, since January, been formally discharged from Northern Ireland prisons before completing their sentences. However, with my agreement one prisoner was temporarily released under the prison rules to enable transfer to Cheswold Park hospital, England, to receive specialised treatment, prior to completing his full sentence.

Prisoners: Proscribed Organisations

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was paid to prisoners in Northern Ireland who were imprisoned for scheduled offences connected to a paramilitary organisation in each year since 1998.

Paul Goggins: Prior to November 2000, prisoners were paid for being employed within the prison regime amounting to approximately £10 per week. Those listed as not employed received a basic payment of £4. In November 2000, the progressive and earned privileges scheme (PREPS) system was introduced, which is a three-tier regime designed to encourage prisoners to improve their behaviour and engage in constructive activity. Under this system, payments are currently made as follows:
	Basic regime level—£6
	Standard regime level—up to £11
	Enhanced regime—up to £20.
	The amount received by each prisoner is not held centrally and cannot be broken down for scheduled offences. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost

SCOTLAND

Departments: Agencies

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much the Department paid in fees to recruitment agencies for  (a) temporary and  (b) permanent staff in each year since 1997.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999. Since that date, the Office has not spent any money with recruitment agencies for permanent staff; the costs for temporary staff are in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			 1999-2000(1) 2,135 
			 2000-01 68,404 
			 2001-02 55,534 
			 2002-03 60,601 
			 2003-04 54,017 
			 2004-05 7,098 
			 2005-06 — 
			 2006-07 8,190 
			 (1 )part year

Departments: Air Conditioning

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent by his Department and its agencies on the hire of mobile air conditioning units in each of the last five years.

David Cairns: Nothing.

Departments: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of people employed by his Department are disabled.

David Cairns: This information is published in the annual report of the Scotland Office, a copy of which has been placed in the House Library.

Departments: Flowers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent by his Department on flowers in the last 12 months.

David Cairns: The Scotland Office does not maintain a central record of flowers purchased.

Departments: Manpower

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many press officers are employed by his Department.

David Cairns: This information is published in the annual report of the Scotland Office, a copy of which has been placed in the House Library.

Departments: Official Hospitality

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on alcoholic drinks for receptions in each of the last five years.

David Cairns: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 17 July 2007,  Official Report, column 188W.
	The Scotland Office keeps no separate record of hospitality expenditure of category of provision.

Dover House: Official Hospitality

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2007,  Official Report, column 188W, on Dover House: official hospitality, how many receptions held at Dover House in each of the last five years were organised and funded by  (a) trade unions,  (b) charities,  (c) businesses and  (d) other types of organisation; and what income his Department received from charges for the use of facilities for receptions in each of the last five years.

David Cairns: The third party receptions held at Dover House may be categorised in the following table.
	
		
			   Trade unions  Charities  Other types of organisation 
			 2006-2007 0 5 20 
			 2005-2006 0 3 8 
			 2004-2005 1 4 19 
			 2003-2004 0 4 10 
			 2002-2003 1 2 18 
		
	
	None of the events listed above was organised and funded by any commercial business. The Scotland Office received no income for any of these events.

Sewel Motions

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what procedure the Government uses to notify the Scottish Parliament of its desire for a Sewel motion to be considered by the Parliament; and what involvement the Scottish Executive has in the process.

David Cairns: In line with Devolution Guidance Note 10, it is for the Scottish Executive to indicate the views of the Scottish Parliament in relation to a provision or provisions in UK Bills that trigger the Sewel Convention and to take whatever steps are appropriate to ascertain that view. I expect these arrangements to continue.

TREASURY

Customs: Tour de France

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the customs arrangements were for the Tour de France UK leg in terms of drugs and medicines being  (a) brought in and  (b) taken out of the UK by teams.

Jane Kennedy: The organisers and competitors in the Tour de France and their associated personnel were subject to the normal regulatory and anti-smuggling controls both at entry into and departure from the UK.

Departments: Redundancy Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent by his Department on redundancy payments in the last 12 months.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 21 June 2007,  Official Report, column 2140W.

Employment: Yorkshire and Humberside

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many  (a) men and  (b) women were in work in (i) City of York parliamentary constituency, (ii) City of York Council area and (iii) Yorkshire and the Humber in (A) May 1997 and (B) each year since.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 July 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many (a) men and (b) women were in work in (i) City of York parliamentary constituency, (ii) City of York Council area and (iii) Yorkshire and the Humber in (A) May 1997 and (B) each year since. (152205)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of men and women, aged 16 and over, resident in the City of York constituency, who were in employment, for the 12 months ending in February for 1997 to 2004 from the local area LFS and for the 12 months ending in March for 2005 and 2006, from the APS. Corresponding headline employment rates, for persons of working age (males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59), are also provided. The working-age employment rates allow changes to be seen in the context of changing population numbers. Table 2 shows corresponding data for the City of York Unitary Authority and Table 3 for Yorkshire and the Humber.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty. In this case, for the City of York constituency and the City of York Unitary Authority, the sample sizes are not sufficient to give an accurate estimate of even the direction of the change over the period.
	
		
			  Table 1: Employment by sex; City of York parliamentary constituency 
			  Thousand 
			   Men  Women  Total 
			  12 months ending  Level( 1)  Rate( 2 ) (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage) 
			 February 1997 22 71 22 65 44 68 
			 February 1998 24 74 21 63 45 69 
			 February 1999 28 81 20 65 48 73 
			 February 2000 25 81 20 72 45 77 
			 February 2001 27 81 24 76 51 79 
			 February 2002 28 81 24 72 51 77 
			 February 2003 29 83 25 72 54 77 
			 February 2004 28 80 25 73 53 77 
			 March 2005 29 80 26 71 55 75 
			 March 2006 27 79 25 73 52 76 
			 (1) Persons aged 16 and over. (2) Persons of working age - males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59.  Notes: 1. Estimates are subject to sampling variability. 2. Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.  Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Employment by sex; City of York Unitary Authority 
			  Thousand 
			   Men  Women  Total 
			  12 months ending  Level( 1)  Rate( 2 ) (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2 ) (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage) 
			 February 1997 43 79 39 71 82 75 
			 February 1998 43 79 34 65 77 72 
			 February 1999 45 82 38 71 83 76 
			 February 2000 44 81 39 71 83 76 
			 February 2001 49 84 44 78 93 81 
			 February 2002 49 84 43 75 93 80 
			 February 2003 50 84 43 74 93 79 
			 February 2004 48 82 43 77 92 79 
			 March 2005 49 82 43 76 92 79 
			 March 2006 48 81 45 76 93 79 
			 (1) Persons aged 16 and over. (2) Persons of working age—males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59.  Notes: 1. Estimates are subject to sampling variability. 2. Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.  Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Employment by sex; Yorkshire and the Humber 
			  Thousand 
			   Men  Women  Total 
			  12 months ending  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage)  Level( 1)  Rate( 2)  (percentage) 
			 February 1997 1,163 74 988 66 2,151 70 
			 February 1998 1,178 76 993 66 2,170 71 
			 February 1999 1,202 77 1,010 68 2,212 73 
			 February 2000 1,197 77 1,014 68 2,211 73 
			 February 2001 1,208 78 1,051 70 2,259 74 
			 February 2002 1,221 78 1,044 69 2,265 73 
			 February 2003 1,233 78 1,047 68 2,280 73 
			 February 2004 1,248 78 1,064 69 2,312 74 
			 March 2005 1,252 79 1,068 69 2,320 74 
			 March 2006 1,251 78 1,072 69 2,322 74 
			 (1) Persons aged 16 and over. (2) Persons of working age—males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59.  Notes: 1. Estimates are subject to sampling variability. 2. Changes in the estimates over time should be treated with particular caution.  Source: Annual local area Labour Force Survey; Annual Population Survey.

HM Revenue and Customs: Debt Collection

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many HM Revenue and Customs debt recovery offices closed in each year since 2001, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Jane Kennedy: HM Revenue and Customs has not closed any debt recovery offices since it was created in 2005.
	Prior to that in 2001 a total of 12 former Customs and Excise debt recovery offices were closed in the following parliamentary constituencies:
	Bristol East, Canterbury, Oxford East, Poole, Spelthorne, Woking, Maidenhead, Reading East, Portsmouth South, Plymouth Devonport, Uxbridge and Brent South
	In 2002 a total of three former Customs and Excise debt recovery offices were closed in the following parliamentary constituencies:
	Islington South and Finsbury, Finchley and Golders Green and Shrewsbury and Atcham
	The former Inland Revenue has not closed any debt recovery offices since 2001.

HM Revenue and Customs: Manpower

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff of HM Revenue and Customs were employed in  (a) call centres and  (b) frontline offices in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jane Kennedy: The following table provides the estimated number of full-time equivalent staff (FTE) employed in HMRC's centrally managed contact centre network(1) and face to face inquiry centres. Information for earlier years is not readily available.
	HMRC came into being in April 2005 and the figures shown in the table prior to this refer to the former Inland Revenue only. Figures in respect of the former HM Customs and Excise are not readily available.
	
		
			  As at end of  Contact centres total FTE  Face to face total FTE 
			  Former Inland Revenue   
			 April 2003 4,578 n/a 
			 April 2004 6,446 n/a 
			
			  HMRC   
			 April 2005 8,215 n/a 
			 April 2006 8,709 1,465 
			 April 2007 10,120 1,633 
		
	
	(1) Excluding Northern Ireland prior to November 2005.

HM Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed by call centres used by HM Revenue and Customs in each year since 2001.

Jane Kennedy: The table provides the estimated number of full-time equivalent staff (FTE) employed in HMRC's centrally managed Contact Centre network(1). Information for earlier years is not readily available.
	(1) Excluding Northern Ireland prior to November 2005.
	HMRC came into being in April 2005 and the figures shown as follows prior to this refer to the former Inland Revenue only. Figures in respect of the former HM Customs and Excise are not readily available.
	
		
			  As at end of :  Total FTE 
			  Former Inland Revenue:  
			 April 2003 4,578 
			 April 2004 6,446 
			  HMRC:  
			 April 2005 8,215 
			 April 2006 8,709 
			 April 2007 10,120

Identity Cards: Advisory Services

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the costs so far incurred on advisory services in relation to the development of the identity card scheme.

Meg Hillier: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to my predecessor's answer to the hon. Member for Rayleigh (Mr. Francois) on 19 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1778W.

Office for National Statistics: Manpower

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people work in the division of the Office for National Statistics responsible for producing consumer price index and retail prices index figures; how many of these have agreed to relocate to Newport; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 July 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people work in the division of the Office for National Statistics that is responsible for producing consumer price index and retail prices index figures; how many of these have agreed to relocate to Newport.(152711)
	The London division responsible for producing consumer price index and retail prices index figures had a staff complement of 34. A number of staff are considering relocating, although final decisions are not required until after the summer. It is anticipated that the corresponding Newport team will include up to six people with experience of working on the CPI and RPI in London.

Planning Gain Supplement

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how revenue from planning gain supplement is planned to be allocated to local authorities in two-tier areas.

Angela Eagle: Budget 2007 stated (paragraph 3.149) that, in England, the local share of planning-gain supplement (PGS) would be paid directly to the local planning authority that granted the planning permission to which the PGS liability is attached. It added that the Government will consider whether special arrangements should be made where there exists a special purpose vehicle with planning powers (such as an urban development corporation) and for consents granted by county authorities.

Planning Gain Supplement

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely cost of administering planning-gain supplement for  (a) HM Revenue and Customs,  (b) the Valuation Office Agency and  (c) local authorities in the first 12 months after it comes into effect.

Angela Eagle: The costs of administering the planning-gain supplement would be developed in the course of planning and carrying out preparatory work if the Government decide to introduce the planning-gain supplement. The PGS regime is being designed to be simple and cost-effective to administer and it is expected that the unit cost of collecting PGS would be similar to the unit costs of collecting other taxes administered by HMRC.
	Further details can be found in the Explanatory Notes to the Planning-gain Supplement (Preparations) Act 2007.

Planning Gain Supplement

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of revenues from planning gain supplement is planned to be retained by the Government.

Angela Eagle: Details of the proposed allocation of PGS revenues to regions and local authorities were most recently set out in the Housing Green Paper "Homes for the future: more affordable, more sustainable", Chapter 5, page 54. Full details may also be found in Budget 2007, paragraphs 3.149 to 3.152 and (in respect of the devolved Administrations) in the 2006 pre-Budget report paragraph 3.124.

Private Finance Initiative

Robert Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent from the public purse on the Government's private finance initiative contracts in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion was for  (a) hospitals,  (b) schools,  (c) road building,  (d) housing and  (e) other projects, broken down by category.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury's PFI signed deals list provides unitary charge (UC) payment data, broken down by sector and with project details. This is available on the Treasury's public website at: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/documents/public_private_ partnerships/ppp_pfi_stats.cfm
	It should be noted that UC payments are projections which are conditional on project performance. UC payments cover not only the repayment of capital but also service provisions, inflation uplifts, and other project specific requirements such as refurbishments.

Public Sector: Pensions

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are eligible to receive a public sector pension.

Andy Burnham: The Occupational Pension Schemes Survey (2006) published by the Office for National Statistics showed that there were around 1.1 million members in public sector schemes. These include active members, those whose pensions are in payment and those entitled to a deferred pension.
	Public sector schemes include schemes for the civil service, the armed forces, teachers, employees of the national health service and local authorities, police officers and firefighters as well as some other smaller schemes. Details of the survey can be found at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/opss0707.pdf

Public Works Loan Board

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what controls exist on the amount of borrowing that local authorities can undertake from the Public Works Loan Board.

Angela Eagle: Loans advanced by the Public Works Loan Board are made from funds provided under section 4(1) of the National Loans Act 1968. Amended by section 130 of the Finance Act 1990, this sets an existing limit of £55 billion (nominal) on the total loans outstanding to the board at any one time, but also contains a provision to alter the limit further to a sum not exceeding £70 billion (nominal).

Public Works Loan Board

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consent from central government departments local authorities require to borrow funds from the Public Works Loan Board.

Angela Eagle: The Local Government Act 2003 allows main (first and second tier) local authorities to set and keep under review their own borrowing limits. Minor (third tier) authorities in England require the specific delegated permission of the Secretary of State (Parish and Town Councils in England) or the Welsh Assembly Government (Community and Town Councils in Wales) to borrow.

Self-Employed: Working Hours

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average amount of time worked each week by self-employed people in the UK.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 July 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question about the average amount of time worked each week by self-employed people in the United Kingdom. (152618)
	The attached table gives the average usual weekly hours worked by self-employed people, for the three month period ending March 2007. These estimates have not been seasonally adjusted.
	Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Average usual weekly hours(1) of work of the self-employed: United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Three months ending March 2007  Average usual hours( 1) 
			 Total 39.5 
			 Male 43.2 
			 Female 29.6 
			 (1) Respondents to the LFS are asked to state the weekly hours they usually work. The figures in this table cover main jobs only and include paid and unpaid overtime.

Stamp Duties: Tax Yields

Alistair Burt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much revenue was raised on stamp duty on property in 2006-07 in  (a) the United Kingdom and  (b) England;
	(2)  how much revenue was received from stamp duty on  (a) residential property and  (b) business property in the United Kingdom in 1996-97; and how much is expected to be received in 2007-08.

Kitty Ussher: Estimated stamp duty receipts for 1996-97 for the United Kingdom are given in the following table.
	
		
			  (£ million) 
			 Residential 675 
			 Non residential 383 
			 Total 1,058 
		
	
	Estimated revenues for total stamp taxes in 2006-07 and projected revenues for total stamp taxes in 2007-08 were published in Table C8 of the Budget 2007 report. The breakdown between stamp taxes on land and property and stamp taxes on shares is as follows:
	
		
			  Stamp taxes on land and property transactions 
			  £ billion 
			 2006-07 9.7 
			 2007-08 10.6 
		
	
	Final figures for stamp duty land tax receipts for 2006-07, including a break down between residential and non-residential, together with national and sub-national breakdowns will be published in September 2007 for 2007-08 it will be published in September 2008.

Tax Allowances: Repairs and Maintenance

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give consideration to introducing tax reliefs for exterior building cleaning.

Jane Kennedy: Tax relief is already available to businesses where they incur expenditure on cleaning the exterior of their business premises.

Taxation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate  (a) direct and  (b) indirect taxes as a percentage of gross income for all households by income decile; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 July 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate  (a) direct and  (b) indirect taxes as a percentage of gross income for all households by income decile. (152710).
	Estimates of household income and related taxes are provided in the ONS analysis 'The effects of taxes and benefits on household income'. The latest analysis for 2005/06 was published on the National Statistics website on 17th May 2007 at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/taxesbenefits. The analysis is based on data from the Expenditure and Food Survey, which is a sample survey covering approximately 7,000 households in the UK.
	The table below shows the average direct and indirect tax paid by households in each income decile group as a percentage of gross household income. They have been calculated from the numbers appearing in Table 14 of the taxes and benefits analysis.
	Gross income includes income from wages, occupational pensions, self-employment income, investment income, and income from state benefits, all before tax. Direct taxes include income tax, national insurance contributions and council tax. The indirect taxes include VAT, duties, and a number of smaller items such as television licences. Indirect taxes also include intermediate taxes - these are indirect taxes paid by companies which are deemed to be passed onto households through the prices they pay for goods and services. A more detailed breakdown showing each of the different taxes appears in the annual article.
	Indirect taxes, when expressed as a proportion of gross income appears particularly high for the bottom income decile, although this result needs to be interpreted carefully. Estimates of indirect taxes are estimated based on household expenditure. It should be remembered that measured expenditure will not necessarily balance with measured income for the year. This is especially true for the bottom income decile where average measured income is significantly lower than average expenditure. For these households, indirect taxes (which reflect expenditure) are not being met solely from current income, and so indirect taxes are very high when expressed as a proportion of gross income.
	There are a number of plausible reasons why for some households, expenditure might exceed income. Households with low incomes may draw on their savings or borrow in order to finance their expenditure. In addition, the lower decile in particular includes some groups, who have, or report, very little income (for example, self-employed people starting a business or someone who has just been made redundant). In these cases, expenditure is not being met from current income. Some types of receipts are not included as income in the EPS e.g. inheritance and severance payments. In some cases, the information given on expenditure is not consistent with that on income received because of timing differences.
	
		
			  Taxes as a percentage of gross income, for all households by decile group, United Kingdom, 2005-06 
			  Percentage 
			  Decile groups of all households( 1) 
			   Bottom  2nd  3rd  4th  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th  Top  All households 
			 Indirect taxes(2) 33.6 22.6 20.3 18.1 17.1 16.2 14.8 14.1 12.5 9.8 14.5 
			 Direct taxes(3,4) 10.6 8.8 12.3 13.7 16.6 19.1 20.9 21.5 23.6 25.4 20.6 
			 All taxes 44.2 31.4 32.6 31.8 33.7 35.3 35.7 35.6 36.1 35.2 35.1 
			  Notes: 1 Households are ranked by equivalised disposable income. 2 Includes VAT, Vehicle Excise duty and taxes on tobacco, alcohol and hydrocarbon oil. 3 Income tax and Employees' National contributions (Including tax relief at source on life assurance premiums). 4 Council tax and Northern Ireland rates after deducting

Taxation: Domicile

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have been made to residence and domicile rules relating to taxation as a consequence of the review of such rules launched in Budget 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: No changes have been made to the residence and domicile rules that govern personal taxation since the review, which was announced at Budget 2002, and is still on-going.

Taxation: Domicile

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  when the last estimate of the tax foregone in the UK as a consequence of the use of the remittance basis by those not domiciled in the UK was made; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many individuals claiming non-domicile tax status were born to parents whose parents were born in the UK; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many individuals claiming non-domicile tax status were born to parents who were born in the UK; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how many individuals claiming non-domicile tax status were born in the UK; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  if he will estimate how much was paid in  (a) income tax,  (b) national insurance contributions,  (c) capital gains tax,  (d) VAT and  (e) council tax, by non domiciled taxpayers in each of the last three years;
	(6)  what estimate he has made of the number of penalties likely to arise as a result of non-disclosure of offshore bank accounts; and if he will make a statement;
	(7)  if he will estimate the cost of the £55,000 inheritance tax tax-free allowance for transfers of assets to a non-domiciled spouse in each of the last five years for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information is as follows.
	1. No substantiated estimates have been made of the tax foregone in the UK as a consequence of the use of the remittance basis by those not domiciled in the UK, as individuals do not have to provide HM Revenue and Customs with information on overseas income and gains if this does not give rise to a tax liability in the UK. Work towards estimating tax foregone was carried out in 2003, but weakness in the supporting data made these unreliable and the exercise has not been repeated.
	2, 3, and 4. This information is not available.
	5.  (a) and  (b) The estimated tax and national insurance liabilities from self-assessment tax returns for the two latest available years are:
	
		
			  £ billion 
			  Tax year  Income tax  NICs 
			 2003-04 2.9 0.1 
			 2004-05 3.3 0.2 
		
	
	No such estimate is available for 2002-03.
	 (c ), (d) and (e) The requested information is not available.
	6. Over 60,000 account holders have told HMRC they have a disclosure to make. Most of these individuals will pay a penalty of 10 per cent. of the tax they are disclosing. Higher penalties will also be required for those who HMRC hold information on but chose not to notify that they had a disclosure to make.
	7. The cost of inheritance tax relief for transfers on death to non-domiciled spouses is estimated to be less than £1 million a year.

Taxation: Gambling

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated turnover and profit of spread betters based in the UK was in 2006-07; how much tax was paid by them in that year; and whether any of them paid no tax in that year.

Angela Eagle: Revenues from general betting duty are published in the HM Revenue and Customs Betting, Gaming and Lottery Duties Bulletin, available at http:// www.uktradeinfo.co.uk/index.cfm?task=bullbett but are not broken down by type of betting.

Unemployment

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the rate of  (a) youth and  (b) adult (i) employment and (ii) unemployment was in (A) Jarrow constituency, (B) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and (D) the UK in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many  (a) adults,  (b) women and  (c) single parents were (i) in work and (ii) unemployed in (A) Jarrow constituency, (B) South Tyneside, (C) the North East and (D) the UK in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 July 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking what the level of (a) youth and (b) adult (i) employment and (ii) unemployment has been in (A) Jarrow constituency, (B) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (D) the UK in each year since 1997 and how many (a) adults, (b) women and (c) single parents were (i) in work and (ii) unemployment in (A) Jarrow constituency, (B) South Tyneside, (C) the North East and (D) the UK in each year since 1997. (151944, 151945).
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles employment statistics for local areas from the annual local area Labour Force Survey (LFS) and the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows the number of males, females and people, who were (i) aged 16 and over, (ii) young persons aged 16 to 24 and (iii) persons aged 25 and over, resident in the Jarrow constituency, who were in employment, for the 12 months ending in February for 1997 to 2004 from the local area LFS and for the 12 months ending in March for 2005 and 2006, from the APS. The table also shows employment rates which allow changes to be seen in the context of changing population numbers. Tables 2 to 4 show data for South Tyneside metropolitan borough, the North East and Great Britain respectively.
	For unitary and local authorities, the ONS produces estimates of total unemployment, following ILO definitions, from a statistical model. Annual estimates for other areas and breakdowns are compiled from the annual local area LFS and the APS following ILO definitions.
	Table 5, attached, shows the number of males, females and people, who were (i) aged 16 and over, (ii) young persons aged 16 to 24 and (iii) persons aged 25 and over, resident in the Jarrow constituency, who were unemployed, for the 12 months ending in February for 1997 to 2004 from the local area LFS and for the 12 months ending in March for 2005 and 2006, from the APS. The table also shows unemployment rates which allow changes to be seen in the context of changing population numbers. Tables 6 to 8 show data for South Tyneside metropolitan borough, the North East and Great Britain respectively.
	Table 9, attached, shows employment levels, unemployment levels and rates for lone parents aged 16 and over and employment rates for lone parents of working age, resident in the South Tyneside metropolitan borough, the North East and Great Britain, for the three months ending in June, for the years 1997 to 2006 from the LFS household datasets. Data for the Jarrow constituency are unavailable as Parliamentary Constituency markers are not held in this dataset.
	The estimates in Tables 1-9 are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty. In this case, the sample sizes for the Jarrow constituency and South Tyneside metropolitan borough are not sufficient to give an accurate estimate of even the direction of the change over time.
	ONS also compiles statistics for local areas of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Table 10, attached, shows the annual average number of males, females, people, young persons aged 18 to 24 and persons aged 25 and over, resident in the Jarrow constituency, claiming JSA for 1997 to 2006. Also shown are the total numbers of claimants as percentages of the resident working age population for males, females and all people. These percentages are not readily available for ages 18 to 24 and 25 and over. Tables 11 to 13 show data for South Tyneside metropolitan borough, the North East region and the United Kingdom respectively. Data for single parents are not available in this dataset.
	As the information provided is extensive, a copy of the tables has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

Unemployment

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) 20 Parliamentary constituencies and  (b) 20 local authorities were with the lowest employment rates in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the employment rate was in each case.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 July 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what the (a) 20 Parliamentary constituencies and (b) 20 local authorities were with the lowest employment rates in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the employment rate was in each case. (152642)
	The Office for National Statistics compiles employment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Table 1, attached, lists the 20 parliamentary constituencies, in Great Britain, with the lowest employment rates, for persons of working age, for the 12 months ending December 2006 from the APS. Table 2, attached, lists the 20 local authorities, in Great Britain, with the lowest working-age employment rates for the same period.
	These statistics are published each quarter for all parliamentary constituencies and local authorities in the local area labour market statistical indicators publication (accessible from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=14160) and in the Labour Market Statistics regional First Releases (accessible from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/onlineproducts/lms_regional.asp).
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Table 1: 20 parliamentary constituencies with the lowest working-age employment rates; January 2006 to December 2006 
			  Percentage 
			  Parliamentary constituency  Working-age employment rate 
			 Birmingham, Hodge Hill 47 
			 Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath 47 
			 Birmingham, Ladywood 49 
			 Glasgow Central 52 
			 Liverpool, Riverside 52 
			 Poplar and Canning Town 52 
			 Bethnal Green and Bow 55 
			 East Ham 55 
			 Glasgow North East 57 
			 Hackney South and Shoreditch 57 
			 Bradford West 58 
			 Sheffield Central 58 
			 Bootle 58 
			 Holborn and St. Pancras 58 
			 Walsall North 59 
			 Manchester, Gorton 59 
			 Sheffield, Brightside 59 
			 Birmingham, Erdington 60 
			 Ilford South 60 
			 Hackney North and Stoke Newington 60 
			  Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability.  Source: Annual Population Survey. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: 20 local authorities with the lowest working-age employment rates;  January 2006 to December 2006 
			  Percentage 
			  Local authority  Working-age employment rate 
			 Tower Hamlets 53 
			 Newham 58 
			 Hackney 59 
			 West Somerset 60 
			 Westminster 62 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 62 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 62 
			 Birmingham 63 
			 Barking and Dagenham 63 
			 Lambeth 63 
			 Liverpool 64 
			 Ceredigion 65 
			 Glasgow City 65 
			 Southwark 65 
			 Nottingham 65 
			 Blaenau Gwent 65 
			 Teesdale 65 
			 Manchester 65 
			 Brent 65 
			 South Tyneside 65 
			  Note: Estimates are subject to sampling variability.  Source: Annual Population Survey.

Unemployment: Social Rented Housing

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of tenants in social housing were  (a) unemployed and  (b) economically inactive in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 July 2007:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the proportion of tenants in social housing who were (a) unemployed and (b) economically inactive in (i) 1997 and (ii) the most recent year for which figures are available. (152600)
	The attached table shows the numbers and rates of the unemployed and inactive tenants in social housing for 1997 and 2006. The estimates cover the three month period ending December each year, and are not seasonally adjusted. Those in social housing include people in Local Authority, Scottish Homes, New Town Developments, Housing Associations, Co-operatives and Trusts.
	Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Unemployed and economically inactive tenants in social housing( 1)  1997 and 2006, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			   Unemployed( 2)  Inactive( 3) 
			  Three months ending December each year  Number (000s)  Rate (Percentage)( 4)  Number (000s)  Rate (Percentage)( 5) 
			 1997 733 19.8 2,400 39.9 
			 2006 580 18.0 2,441 43.8 
			 (1 )Social housing includes local authority, Scottish homes, new town developments, housing associations, co-operatives and trusts.  (2 )Includes all persons aged 16 and over.  (3 )Includes men aged 16 to 64 and women age 16 to 59.  (4 )Unemployed people as a percentage of all economically active people who live in social housing.  (5) Economically inactive people of working age as a percentage of all persons of working age who live in social housing.   Source:  ONS Labour Force Survey (LFS).

Unemployment: Young People

James Clappison: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many 16 to 24-year-olds not in full-time education were economically inactive in each year since 1997; and what proportion of the 16 to 24-year-old age group this represented in each year.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 July 2006:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question, about the levels and proportions of economically inactive people aged 16 to 24 who are not in full-time education for the period since 1997. (152647)
	Each month the ONS publishes statistics showing both the level and the rates of employment, unemployment, and inactivity for people age 16-24 who are in full-time education and not in full-time education in the Labour Market Statistics First Release. Table 14 of the First Release has estimates of economically inactive people aged 16-24 who are not in full-time education in column 11, which is available in the attached link.
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/LMS_FR_HS/WebTablel4SA.xls
	These estimates are seasonally adjusted and include historical data back to 1992.
	Estimates are taken from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.

Welfare Tax Credits

Karen Buck: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has undertaken on the relationship between receipt of tax credits and levels of deprivation.

Jane Kennedy: HMRC undertakes a range of research about the tax credits system. Details of planned and on-going research as well as research findings are published on the Department's website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/
	Child and working tax credits provide support to around 6 million benefiting families, helping to lift approx 600,000 children out of child poverty.

Welfare Tax Credits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of claims for  (a) working tax credit and  (b) child tax credit were made (i) over the telephone, (ii) using a paper form and (iii) in person in each of the last 10 years.

Jane Kennedy: This information is not available in the format requested. As there is only one form on which to claim tax credits, claims for working tax credit and child tax credit are not recorded separately. All new claims must now be completed on a paper form. The number of paper claims received is around 8,500,000 from 1 November 2002 to 23 July 2007.

Welfare Tax Credits

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 3 July 2007, Official Report, column 957W, on welfare tax credits, if he will make it his practice to provide answers including full figures rather than by reference to a website.

Jane Kennedy: HMRC publish a great deal of information on tax credits and this is available on their website. Where information is already in the public domain, it is our usual practice to refer to this in providing answers to hon. Members parliamentary questions. This allows hon. Members to see for themselves the source of the information and it often contains other details which, while not pertinent to the question, could be of interest to them. In the case of official statistics the website will contain any future updated information.

Young People: Suicide

John Pugh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many young people  (a) under the age of 18 and  (b) aged 18 to 19 years committed suicide in each of the last five years, broken down by gender.

Angela Eagle: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 26 July 2007:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many young people (a) under the age of 18 and (b) aged 18-19 years committed suicide in each of the last five years, broken down by gender. (152718)
	The table below contains numbers of suicides for those aged under 20 by age group and sex in England and Wales from 2001 to 2005, the latest available year.
	It is assumed that most deaths from injury/poisoning of undetermined intent at ages 15 and over are cases where the harm was self-inflicted but there was insufficient evidence to prove that the deceased deliberately intended to kill themselves. For this reason, ONS includes in its suicide statistics both those deaths from intentional self-harm, and those from 'injury or poisoning of undetermined intent.' The same cannot be assumed in deaths at ages under 15 and therefore deaths from injury or poisoning of undetermined intent are not included when examining suicide (intentional self-harm) in children. As there were no deaths in children aged under 13 with a suicide verdict for the period requested, the table shows the number of suicides in children aged 13 to 14, and the number of suicide or injury/poisoning of undetermined intent deaths in those aged 15 to 17 and 18 to 19.
	
		
			  Number of deaths from suicide and injury/poisoning of undetermined intent, ages 13 to 19, England and Wales, 2001 to 2005( 1) 
			   Ages 13 to 14  Ages 15 to 17  Ages 18 to 19 
			   Suicide( 2)  Suicide and injury/poisoning of undetermined intent( 3)  Suicide and injury/poisoning of undetermined intent( 3) 
			   Male  Female  Male  Female  Male  Female 
			 2001 3 2 43 11 81 17 
			 2002 3 2 43 19 70 17 
			 2003 0 3 34 13 57 15 
			 2004 3 2 31 19 72 26 
			 2005 1 0 26 11 48 17 
			 (1) Figures are for deaths occurring in each calendar year. (2) The cause of death for suicide was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes X60-X84. (3) The cause of death for injury/poisoning of undetermined intent was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes Y10-Y34 excluding Y33.9 where the Coroner's verdict was pending.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

African Union: EU External Relations

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is Government policy that the Prime Minister will not attend the EU-AU Summit in Lisbon this year if Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe attends the summit; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Invitations have yet to be issued to the EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon. We are continuing to work with EU colleagues for a solution in line with the EU Common Position. We believe that Robert Mugabe's attendance would be wrong.

Asylum

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when HM High Commission Islamabad received notification from the Home Office of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal's decision in the case of Mr. M.I., sponsored by Mr. R.A. of Aylesbury (FCO reference 119381; appeal reference VA/31440/2006); and when he expects to issue a visa to Mr. M.I.

Meg Munn: holding answer 29 June 2007
	Following notification from the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal, the visa section at our high commission in Islamabad wrote to Mr. M. I. on 27 June asking him to submit his passport so they could issue the visa. The visa was subsequently issued on 5 July.

China: Tigers

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Chinese counterpart on  (a) Chinese policy on tiger conservation and  (b) the manner in which the Chinese State Forestry Administration International Workshop on Strategy for Tiger Conservation was organised; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We raise the issue of tiger conservation with our Chinese counterparts at every suitable opportunity. My hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Barry Gardiner) discussed illegal trade in tiger parts with the Chinese Vice Minister for Forestry in July 2006. We are aware of concerns over the organisation of the Chinese State Forestry Administration's International Workshop on Strategy for Tiger Conservation. We have noted that the International Tiger Coalition has proposed further discussions with the State Forestry Administration and would welcome such a move.

Departments: Flowers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by his Department on flowers in the last 12 months.

Jim Murphy: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only by examining individual invoices. This would incur disproportionate cost.

Departments: Information Officers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many press officers are employed by his Department.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has 28 press officers in London working with domestic, international, foreign and foreign language media and around 300 officials based in our overseas missions (including locally-engaged staff) whose duties include, to a greater or lesser extent, press and public affairs.

Departments: Legislation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years contained sunset clauses; and what plans he has for the future use of such clauses.

Jim Murphy: No such Bills have contained sunset clauses. The appropriateness of a sunset clause for the whole or part of any proposed legislation is considered on a case by case basis.

Departments: Legislation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years did not contain sunset clauses; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: None of the Bills introduced by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office during the relevant period have contained such a clause.

Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the name is of each special adviser in his Department.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has two special advisers, Madlin Sadler and Sarah Schaefer, who work a job-share.

Departments: Press

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to which periodicals his Department subscribes.

Meg Munn: A current list of periodical titles to which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office subscribes will be placed in the Library of the House and a copy sent to the hon. Member.

Departments: Training

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by his Department on staff away days in the last 12 months.

Jim Murphy: This information is not held centrally, as Foreign and Commonwealth Office Departments are responsible for their own budgets. To collate the information requested by the hon. Member would incur disproportionate cost.

Departments: Travel

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by his Department on  (a) business class and  (b) first class flights in the last 12 months.

Meg Munn: This information is not available centrally in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and it would incur disproportionate cost to collate the information.

Departments: Travel

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by his Department on first class train tickets in the last 12 months.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) spent £191,940 on claims for first-class train tickets submitted through our electronic expenses system between 1 July 2006 and 30 June 2007.
	This figure includes most, but not all, first-class train travel by FCO staff. We do not hold central records of train tickets bought with corporate credit cards or for which paper claims are submitted. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Embassies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which embassies had the seniority of their ambassadors downgraded in each of the last five years.

Meg Munn: We introduced our current banding system for classifying the rank of senior posts in 2004. It is therefore not straightforward to match changes in the status of posts from before 2004. However, the following Head of Mission posts have since 2002 been, or will in due course be, downgraded, while remaining in seniority terms part of the Senior Management Structure: Bandar Seri Begawan, Berne, Brasilia, Dublin, Hanoi, Havana, Kampala, Luxembourg, Lima, Lisbon, Muscat, Rome, UKDelegation to NATO Brussels, UKDelegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Paris, Valletta, Wellington.
	The following posts are either no longer part of the Senior Management Structure or will be downgraded in due course: Abidjan (currently vacant), Belmopan, Dakar, Dushanbe, Gaborone, Georgetown, Guatemala City, the Holy See, La Paz, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Montevideo, Port Louis, Port of Spain, Pyongyang, Quito, Suva, Tashkent, UK Delegation to the Council of Europe Strasbourg, Yaounde.
	A number of Consul-General or Head of Subordinate Post positions have also been downgraded or deleted.
	The grading of all positions as Head of diplomatic post is kept under constant review, to reflect the responsibilities of each post.

European Reform Treaty

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which areas will powers of national veto over European legislation and policy cease if the treaty agreed at the EU Council on 23 June comes into effect.

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will list  (a) new and  (b) existing articles that may be (i) introduced and (ii) moved to be subject to qualified majority voting under the terms of the Inter-governmental Conference Mandate; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The Government expect the new Reform treaty to contain extensions of qualified majority voting (QMV) under 50 articles. However, the number of extensions that will apply to the UK will be significantly less than 50. We expect 13 extensions will not apply to the UK. Nine of these relate to Justice and Home Affairs (where we have secured an extension of our existing opt-in mechanism). Three relate to the euro (where our opt-out applies). One relates to social security (where we will have an emergency brake including a veto power).
	 Existing areas of policy activity moved from unanimity to QMV
	1. Immigration and frontier controls (UK opt-in)
	2. Judicial co-operation in criminal matters (UK opt-in)
	3. Minimum rules for the definition of criminal offences and sanctions (UK opt-in)
	4. Eurojust (structure, operation, field of action and tasks) (UK opt-in)
	5. Police co-operation (data sharing and training) (UK opt-in)
	6. Europol (structure, operation, field of action and tasks) (UK opt-in)
	7. Social security measures to facilitate free movement of workers (emergency brake including a veto power)
	8. Co-ordination of measures to facilitate self-employment in other member states
	9. Measures implementing the common transport policy (removes existing limited derogation on the common transport policy)
	10. Incentive measures to promote cultural awareness and diversity
	 Existing institutional/procedural measures moved from unanimity to QMV
	11. Appointment of European Central Bank (ECB) executive board (UK opt-out)
	12. The procedures for Comitology processes (rules enabling member states to oversee the Commission's exercise of its implementing powers)
	13. Adoption of detailed financial rules for the establishment and implementation of the budget (including accounting and budgetary principles)
	14. Specialised courts (establishment of specialised first instance courts)
	15. Proposals for amending the statute of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) (the statute governs the terms of appointment, organisation and procedures of the ECJ)
	16. Proposals from the Commission for amendments to certain parts of the statute of the European System of Central Banks
	17. Presidency of Council configurations (arrangements for rotation)
	 Existing areas of policy activity where there is a new specific legal base subject to QMV
	18. Measures necessary for the use of the euro (UK opt-out)
	19. Measures relating to euro group co-ordination and surveillance (applicable only to eurozone members) (UK opt-out)
	20. Establishment of integrated management system for external borders (UK opt-in)
	21. Mechanism for peer review of member states' implementation of policies in the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) area (UK opt-in)
	22. Measures to promote crime prevention (UK opt-in)
	23. Implementation of own resources decisions
	24. Provisions enabling repeal of the aspects of an article related to state aids policy and the effect of the past division of Germany
	25. Procedure for entry into the euro (applies only to recommendations from eurozone
	members to the Council on authorising entry)
	26. Provisions enabling repeal of an article on transport policy as it affects areas of Germany affected by its past division
	27. Authorisation, co-ordination and supervision of EU-level intellectual property rights protection
	28. Clarification of how EU rules and principles apply to services of general economic interest (broadly, public services)
	29. Measures to facilitate diplomatic and consular protection
	30. EU humanitarian aid operations
	31. Energy (measures on energy markets, energy security and energy saving)
	32. Tourism (promotion of competitiveness and best practice)
	33. Civil protection (promoting co-operation among member states to prevent or protect against natural or man-made disasters)
	34. Implementation of solidarity clause (assistance, if requested, in the event of a natural or man-made disaster)
	35. Creation of a 'start-up fund' for urgent Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) measures (for 'Petersberg' tasks)
	36. Urgent EU aid to third countries
	37. Definition of a general framework for implementing the existing Common Commercial Policy
	 New areas of EU policy activity subject to QMV
	38. European Research Area (removal of barriers to free flow of research)
	39. Space policy (measures to promote joint initiatives and research and development)
	40. Incentive measures to promote sport
	41. Administrative co-operation (capacity-building measures in new member states)
	42. Membership of structured co-operation in defence (procedural issues relating to its establishment)
	 New institutional/procedural measures subject to QMV
	43. Appointment of European Council President by the European Council
	44. Appointment of High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy by the European Council
	45. Council review of general rules on composition of the Committee of the Regions and European Economic and Social Committee
	46. Citizens' initiatives (petition procedure)
	47. Ensuring an open, efficient and independent European administration
	48. Negotiation of withdrawal agreement
	49. Operating rules for a consultative EU Judicial appointments panel (including
	composition)
	50. Role of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in CFSP implementing measures (measures proposed by the High Representative following a specific request from the European Council).

European Union: Constitutions

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what definition he uses of  (a) constitutional concept and  (b) constitutional treaty in relation to the European Union.

Jim Murphy: As the then Prime Minister (right hon. Tony Blair) set out in his statement to Parliament on 25 June, the Reform treaty will differ fundamentally from the Constitutional treaty in both form and substance.
	The Reform treaty rejects the Constitutional treaty approach. The mandate for the Reform treaty agreed by the European Council states clearly:
	"The constitutional concept, which consisted in repealing all existing Treaties and replacing them by a single text called 'Constitution', is abandoned".

Guatemala: Trade Unions

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he made to the government of Guatemala on the safety of trade union activists in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Our embassy in Guatemala City lobbied the government of Guatemala in conjunction with our EU partners on 20 February and bilaterally on 16 May, to carry out a full investigation into the death of a trade union activist, Pedro Zamora. We regularly encourage the government of Guatemala to improve the security situation for all Guatemalans.

Iraq: Documents

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the draft Iraq dossier written by Mr. John Williams of 9 September 2002 was requested by the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee; and what purpose the draft served.

Jim Murphy: As my hon. Friend the Minister for the Middle East (Dr. Howells) told the House on 13 June 2007,  Official Report, column 293WH, John Williams's draft was prepared on his own initiative and not commissioned as part of the formal drafting process overseen by the then Joint Intelligence Committee chairman, John Scarlett.

Iraq: Documents

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by what formal mechanism the final version of the Iraq dossier was agreed by the members of the Joint Intelligence Committee; and on what date agreement was reached.

Jim Murphy: John Scarlett, then chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), explained the process through which the Government's draft dossier was drafted and cleared with the JIC in his evidence to Lord Hutton of 23 September 2003 (www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk, paragraphs 76-77). In his minute to the then Prime Minister (Mr. Blair) of 4 June 2003, also available on the Hutton inquiry website, Mr. Scarlett stated that the final draft was circulated to JIC members on 19 September and subsequently agreed by them.

Iraq: Documents

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a copy of the draft Iraq dossier written by Mr. John Williams dated 9 September 2002 and given to the Hutton inquiry on 12 September 2003 was given to  (a) the BBC and  (b) other parties to the inquiry.

Jim Murphy: The Cabinet Office provided a copy of John Williams's draft to Lord Hutton's inquiry in September 2003. Copies were not sent to either the BBC or other parties to the inquiry.

Iraq: Hezbollah

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Hezbollah activity in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: We are analysing the extent of Hezbollah's involvement in Iraq and will take firm action against any armed groups in Iraq that attack our forces or otherwise seek to undermine the country's stability or the democratically elected government.

Iraq: Local Government

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will give support to the establishment in the Nineveh Plains and the Al-Shikhan and Al-Handaniya districts of Iraq of a province linked to the central government in Baghdad for the Chaldo Assyrians and others historically connected to that area; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Any decision regarding the establishment of new provinces in Iraq is a matter for the democratically elected Iraqi Government and the Iraqi people themselves. We remain opposed to dividing the country or creating enclaves along ethnic or sectarian lines. Many cities and areas of Iraq, including in Ninawa province, have strongly mixed ethnic and religious communities. While creating enclaves may hold superficial appeal, in practice this would be difficult to arrange and carry a significant risk of worsening, not alleviating violence.

Iraq: Religion

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will provide support to the Christian community of Iraq against attempts forcibly to Islamicise them; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We are aware of recent reports about the threats faced by Christians in the Dora area of Baghdad. We have raised this with the Iraqi Government who have told us the security force presence in the area has been increased to counter this threat. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and press, and support, the Iraqi Government in taking action to ensure all Iraqis are protected from such threats.
	A sustainable improvement in security will only be possible if Iraq's political, ethnic and religious communities can work and live together in harmony. We will continue to support the Iraqi Government's efforts to promote reconciliation and national unity in this regard.

Israel: Nuclear Weapons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 23 July 2007,  Official Report, column 708W, on Israel: Non-Proliferation Treaty, whether Israel is a non-nuclear weapon state.

Meg Munn: The Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) defines a nuclear weapon state as: any state which has manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device prior to 1 January 1967. This definition is exclusive to the following states party: the People's Republic of China; the French Republic; the Russian Federation; the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and the United States of America.
	As the State of Israel has never signed the NPT, it is classed as neither a Nuclear Weapon State, nor a Non-Nuclear Weapon State.

NATO: Information and Communications Technology

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on steps to be taken by the UK following the content of the final communiqué of the NATO Defence Ministers meeting of 14 and 15 June 2007 relating to work needed to enhance the ability to protect information systems of critical importance to the alliance against cyber attacks.

Jim Murphy: The Government's Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI) is key to the UK's work on cyber defence. Since its formation on 1 February, CPNI has made an ongoing contribution to the cyber security of NATO and allies.

Pakistan: Violence

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of recent violence in north Waziristan for the security situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Since July 15 there has been a surge of violence in north Waziristan following the breakdown of the peace agreement negotiated between local tribal and religious leaders and the government of Pakistan in September 2006. The attacks have mostly been directed at members of the Pakistani army and security forces. Last week, President Musharraf described blocking the "rising tide of Talibanisation" as the biggest challenge facing his government and moved a further two army divisions to north and south Waziristan.
	Pakistani support is central to our attempts to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan and we recognise the significant steps Pakistan has taken, at considerable loss of life, to improve the rule of law in its border areas. We are encouraging both governments to intensify their security dialogue and to agree further measures to combat the Taliban and other insurgent groups opposing Afghanistan's peaceful reconstruction.
	The security forces continue to monitor all the border areas including north and south Waziristan.

Prince Charles: Gifts and Endowments

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what basis Mr. Michael Fawcett was included in the process for the selection and purchase of official gifts given by HRH the Prince of Wales during his official visit to the US in 2005, as noted by Sir Michael Peat during his briefing to the press on Tuesday 26 June 2007 on the launch of the Prince of Wales's Review; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Gifts are selected by the Royal Household under guidelines set by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Prince Charles: Gifts and Endowments

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether official gifts presented by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall during their visit to the USA in 2007 were paid for by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; to whom they were given; what the gifts were; what the value was; which of the gifts' selection or purchase was the responsibility of Mr. Michael Fawcett; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Official gifts presented by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall during the visit to the USA in January were paid for by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). They were given to their hosts and those who played a major part in the organisation of the visit. The gifts consisted mainly of signed photographs of their Royal Highnesses and other mementoes.
	Regarding the cost of gifts, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the then Foreign Secretary (Margaret Beckett) gave to him on 16 April 2007,  Official Report, columns 49-50W. A copy of the letter referred to in the reply has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Gifts are selected by the Royal Household under guidelines set by the FCO.

Sudan: Peace Keeping Operations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Abyei County, Sudan, with particular reference to the implications of the introduction of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in this border area.

Meg Munn: The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) established a Commission to demarcate the boundary of the disputed Abyei area. This Commission, to which the UK provided an expert, presented its final report to the presidency of Sudan in July 2005. The Misseriya tribe objected to the findings of the report, causing increased tension between it and Abyei's Dinka Ngok community. They are backed by the National Congress Party and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement respectively. The deadlock on the Commission's recommendations is unresolved but this need not delay the establishment of a civil administration in Abyei. While the parties deliberate, tensions remain and local people's access to basic services is restricted. We continue to urge the joint north/south Government of National Unity to implement the CPA in full.

Sudan: Violence

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the arrest of Mr. Oman Ibrahim, spokesperson of the Committee Against the Kajbar Dam, in northern Sudan on 20 July; and what representations he has made on the detention of lawyers and journalists following the shootings at the dam on 13 June 2007.

Meg Munn: The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) Human Rights office is following Mr. Ibrahim's case closely. According to information from the Sudan Organisation Against Torture and UNMIS Human Rights, Mr. Ibrahim was arrested without a warrant and then transferred to Khartoum on 21 July. UNMIS Human Rights are expecting clarification of Mr Ibrahim's place of detention and are pressing the authorities to allow them access. UNMIS Human Rights also reported that the UN's Special Rapporteur for Human Rights, Sima Samarm, will visit Sudan soon to take this forward. UNMIS have asked her to raise the Kajbar Dam incident with her Sudanese government interlocutors.
	The Greek EU presidency in Sudan plans to lead an EU démarche to the government of Sudan on the Kajbar incident. The UK is pressing the Greek presidency to take this matter forward urgently, as follow up to our earlier representations to the government of Sudan during the meeting of the EU-Sudan Dialogue on Human Rights on 21 June.

Syria

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the activities of the National Salvation Front in Syria; whether his Department has contact with this group; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: The National Salvation Front in Syria (NSF) is a coalition of exiled Syrian opposition groups. It was launched in March 2006. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have had occasional contact outside Syria with members of the NSF and other affiliated groups at a junior level. This is part of our routine contacts with a broad range of political groups concerned with Syria.

Uganda: Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 July 2007,  Official Report, column 529W, on Uganda: Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference, what advice has been given to British police officers on their actions in the event of anti-government demonstrations; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for Europe (Mr. Jim Murphy) on 19 July 2007,  Official Report, column 529W. No specific advice has been given to British police officers who will be present to provide protection for members of the Royal Family and Government Ministers throughout the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. They will take action necessary to ensure the safety of the VIPs they are protecting, including in the event of anti-government demonstrations.

USA: Terrorism

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the blanket overflight clearance for American military flights for operations against terrorism granted by the UK along with other NATO states on 12 September 2001 still applies; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: On 12 September 2001, the North Atlantic Council invoked article 5 of the Washington treaty. Following that decision NATO allies agreed to grant blanket overflight clearance to US and other allies' military flights subject to national procedures. This remains the case. Decisions of this type remain in force unless revoked by the North Atlantic Council.
	Under UK procedures all flights through UK airspace must comply with UK law. We have also made clear that we expect to be consulted on any request to render a detainee through UK territory or airspace.

JUSTICE

Departments: Air Conditioning

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent by his Department and its predecessors and its agencies on the hire of mobile air conditioning units in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice uses mobile air conditioning units only as a last resort, for example, when plant failure or exceptionally hot weather otherwise threatens continuity of service or the health and safety of employees. The costs are met from local budgets and cannot be separated from other local expenditure except at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Consultants

Michael Meacher: To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how much the Department spent on  (a) management consultants and  (b) other external consultants and advisers in each year since 2000; and which of these consultants undertook work for the Department with a total contractual value in excess of £10 million over this period.

Maria Eagle: Since the Ministry of Justice was only formed on 9 May 2007, my response refers to the former Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) and those bodies which were formerly part of the Home Office which are now part of the new Department.
	 DCA
	 (a) Expenditure with consultants since 2000 was as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2000-01 2.6 
			 2001-02 6.5 
			 2002-03 5.7 
			 2003-04 9.0 
			 2004-05 10.6 
			 2005-06 15.5 
			 2006-07 10.7 
		
	
	Since 2000, DCA has spent in excess of £10 million with PA Consulting on a number of consultancy contracts over a number of years.
	 (b) Other than consultancy, DCA bought a range of other professional services including HR and legal services. Some of those contracts included the provision of advice, however, figures for the cost of obtaining this advice is not held separately from other expenditure and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	 Office for Criminal Justice Reform ( O CJR)
	 (a) Expenditure records are not available prior to 2003. Since 2003, expenditure with consultants was as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2003-04 125,000 
			 2004-05 1,100,000 
			 2005-06 3,600,000 
			 2006-07 3,400,000 
		
	
	Since 2003, no supplier of consultancy services received payments in excess of £10 million.
	 (b) Other than consultancy, OCJR bought a range of other professional services including HR and legal services. Some of those contracts included the provision of advice, however, figures for the cost of obtaining this advice is not held separately from other expenditure and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	 National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
	 (a) Expenditure records are not available prior to 2005. Since 2005, expenditure with consultants was as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2005-06 1.1 
			 2006-07 l.87 
		
	
	Since 2005, no supplier of consultancy services has received payments in excess of £10 million.
	 (b) Information relating to other expenditure with external consultants and advisers since 2005 is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 787,000 
			 2006-07 2,100,000 
		
	
	 HM Prison Service (HMPS)
	 (a) Expenditure records are not available prior to 2001. Since 2001, expenditure with consultants was as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2001-02 3.7 
			 2002-03 4.1 
			 2003-04 2.7 
			 2004-05 7.1 
			 2005-06 12.7 
			 2006-07 12 
		
	
	Since 2001, no supplier of consultancy services has received payments in excess of £10 million.
	 (b) Other than consultancy, HM Prison Service bought a range of other professional services including HR and legal services. Some of those contracts included the provision of advice, however, figures for the cost of obtaining this advice is not held separately from other expenditure and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Employment Agencies

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Department paid in fees to recruitment agencies for  (a) temporary and  (b) permanent staff in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: The Ministry of Justice does not hold this information centrally and it is, therefore, not possible to collate this without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The Ministry of Justice ensures that job vacancies are advertised in a wide range of publications, including those targeted at minority communities where it is appropriate. Details of vacancies are placed on the Civil Service Recruitment Website as the site of first choice for central government recruitment. There is no advertising cost associated with this facility.
	As a part of the Civil Service reform agenda, at senior levels, applications from outside the Civil Service and from all sections of the community are encouraged. External recruitment support may be used to facilitate this.

Departments: Flint Bishop Solicitors

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether  (a) his Department and its predecessor and  (b) its agencies have made payments to Flint Bishop Solicitors since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Details of payments made by the Ministry of Justice's predecessor the Department for Constitutional Affairs (which includes Her Majesty's Court Service, Tribunals Service and Public Guardianship Office) prior to the Ministry's formation on 9 May 2007 to Flint Bishop and Barnett Solicitors in each financial year since 1997 are as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 1997-98 Nil 
			 1998-99 86.46 
			 1999-2000 Nil 
			 2000-01 105.00 
			 2001-02 553.00 
			 2002-03 51.00 
			 2003-04 90.00 
			 2004-05 180.00 
			 2005-06 Nil 
			 2006-07 Nil 
			 2007 to 9 May Nil 
			 Total 1,065.46 
		
	
	Since the formation of the Ministry of Justice on 9 May 2007, no payments have been made to Flint Bishop and Barnett Solicitors.

Departments: Legislation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which Bills introduced by his Department and its predecessors in areas within his Department's responsibility in the last five years did not contain sunset clauses; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The appropriateness of a sunset clause for the whole or part of any Bill proposed by the Ministry of Justice is considered on a case by case basis. It is an issue that would be considered during the preparation of the regulatory impact assessment, which should accompany any Bill.
	During the last five years, none of the Bills introduced on topics that now come under the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice have included full sunset clauses.
	The Gender Recognition Act 2004 contained a partial sunset clause in relation to "fast track" applications, which were permitted only in the first two years of operation of the Act. The European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act 2004 permitted the piloting of provisions relating to the conduct of elections on a specific occasion in 2004.
	The list of the Bills introduced in the last five years coming under the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice and which did not contain sunset clauses is as follows:
	Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill 2007
	Legal Services Bill 2007
	Offender Management Bill 2007
	Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Bill 2007
	Compensation Act 2006
	Electoral Administration Act 2006
	Criminal Defence Service Act 2006
	Fraud Act 2006
	Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006
	Inquiries Act 2005
	Constitutional Reform Act 2005
	Mental Capacity Act 2005
	Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004
	Courts Act 2003
	Criminal Justice Act 2003
	European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003
	Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003
	European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002
	The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002
	Land Registration Act 2002
	Public Trustee (Liability and Fees) Act 2002

Departments: Visits Abroad

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many overseas visits were made by  (a) officials and  (b) Ministers within his responsibility, and at what cost, in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Since 1999, the Government have published on an annual basis, a list of all overseas visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500, as well as the total cost of all ministerial travel overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House. Information for 2006-07 was published on Wednesday 25 July 2007. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the civil service management code and the ministerial code. Providing information on the total number of visits by officials and Ministers and the costs of all visits would incur disproportionate cost.

Driving Offences: Fines

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average fine has been for persons convicted of an offence under section  (a) 14(3) and  (b) 41D of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

Maria Eagle: Information collected centrally, and held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, on police action taken for motoring seat belt offences is combined and does not distinguish between the offence of driving/riding in a motor vehicle not wearing a seat belt (s14 (3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988) and that of driving a motor vehicle with child not wearing a seat belt (s15 (2) and 15 (4) of the Road Traffic Act 1988).
	Section 41D of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (as inserted by the Road Safety Act 2006) came into force on 27 February 2007. Data on its operation will be available in 2009.

National Offender Management Service: Manpower

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice by what means the manpower needs of the National Offender Management Service are assessed; and what processes are in place to ensure such needs are met.

Maria Eagle: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) is a commissioner of services. NOMS assesses and determines its direct staffing needs by the normal budget and planning cycles with due regard to broader Government policies.
	 The national probation service
	The 42 probation areas within the national probation service are required to supply detailed workforce information to NOMS on a quarterly basis. This information is collated and published in the form of a quarterly work force information report. This report is used to identify trends and to inform strategic decisions about future requirements.
	Local probation areas are invited to bid annually for the number of centrally funded trainee probation officer places they require. This enables them to ensure that they maintain a sufficient flow of qualified probation officers in the work force. Other grades of staff are recruited locally, as required by the local area probation board.
	NOMS funds probation officer training via the Diploma in Probation Studies programme and also provides materials and some funding for the training of probation services officers.
	As at December 2006 (the latest figures available), the national gap against active vacancies was 3.87 per cent. (0.84 per cent. for probation officers and 3.03 per cent. for probation service officers).
	 HM Prison Service
	Staffing requirements in the public sector Prison Service are collated centrally based on returns by each establishment and headquarters group. Recruitment is undertaken according to the needs of establishments and geographical areas. This is a flexible approach according to needs. These plans are monitored against actual staff numbers monthly by senior managers.
	As at 30 June 2007, the current national gap between total staffing availability against requirement in the unified grades was 1.3 per cent. (344 staff).

Open Prisons

Nick Herbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) very high risk and  (b) high risk prisoners are serving sentences in open prisons.

David Hanson: Only prisoners classified as category D, the lowest security category, and thus assessed as presenting a low risk, are eligible for open conditions.
	In the case of offenders sentenced to indeterminate sentences, they may be placed in open conditions only on a recommendation of the Parole Board, which has been accepted by the Secretary of State.
	In either case, offenders will be placed in an open prison, following an individual and rigorous risk assessment. In all cases, the protection of the public is paramount.
	The National Offender Management Service now also uses the Offender Assessment System (OASys) in order to assess the risk of serious harm represented by offenders. Probation officers have been undertaking OASys assessments for offenders already placed in open prisons, following the risk assessment processes that were in place at the time.
	According to the OASys assessments, as at 26 July, there were three offenders in all open prisons who had been assessed as very high risk of serious harm. At the same date, according to information provided so far by open establishments, there are around 250 offenders in all open prisons who have been assessed as high risk of serious harm.

Open Prisons

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) high risk and  (b) very high risk prisoners are housed at Leyhill open prison; and how many in each category are housed in open prisons nationally.

David Hanson: Only prisoners classified as category D, the lowest security category, and thus assessed as presenting a low risk, are eligible for open conditions.
	In the case of offenders sentenced to indeterminate sentences, they may be placed in open conditions only on a recommendation of the Parole Board, which has been accepted by the Secretary of State.
	In either case, offenders will be placed in an open prison, following an individual and rigorous risk assessment. In all cases, the protection of the public is paramount.
	The National Offender Management Service now also uses the Offender Assessment System (OASys) in order to assess the risk of serious harm represented by offenders. Probation officers have been undertaking OASys assessments for offenders already placed in open prisons, following the risk assessment processes that were in place at the time.
	According to the OASys assessments, in Leyhill Open Prison, as at 26 July, there were two offenders who had been assessed as very high risk of serious harm and 48 offenders who had been assessed as high risk of serious harm.
	According to the OASys assessments, as at 26 July, there were three offenders in all open prisons who had been assessed as very high risk of serious harm. At the same date, according to information provided so far by open establishments, there are around 250 offenders in all open prisons who have been assessed as high risk of serious harm.

Prison Accommodation

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many three-bed cells are in use in each institution being used by the Prison Service in England and Wales.

David Hanson: The number of three-bed cells are shown in the following table. Only 36 of these establishments have three-bed cells. The cells at Birmingham, Preston, Gloucester, Leyhill, North Sea Camp and Whatton are currently not in use as of 24 July 2007.
	
		
			  Number of three-bed cells in use in each prison establishment as of 24 July 2007 
			  Establishment  Number of cells with a maximum capacity of three 
			 Acklington 4 
			 Askham Grange 7 
			 Bedford 12 
			 Birmingham 2 
			 Blakenhurst 2 
			 Bullingdon 2 
			 East Sutton Park 5 
			 Elmley 245 
			 Erlestoke 2 
			 Foston Hall 2 
			 Glen Parva 3 
			 Gloucester 1 
			 Guys Marsh 9 
			 Haslar 32 
			 Hewell Grange 1 
			 High Down 168 
			 Kingston 2 
			 Latchmere House 4 
			 Leicester 4 
			 Lewes 1 
			 Leyhill 1 
			 Liverpool 9 
			 Low Newton 1 
			 New Hall 2 
			 North Sea Camp 1 
			 Norwich 6 
			 Onley 2 
			 Preston 5 
			 Rochester 8 
			 Styal 30 
			 Swansea 7 
			 Usk 3 
			 Wakefield 7 
			 Wandsworth 4 
			 Whatton 1 
			 Winchester 23 
			 Total 618

Prison Service: Uniforms

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the cost of the planned replacement of the uniform of prison officers working in young offender institutions.

Maria Eagle: Officers working in the juvenile estate wear a relaxed style of uniform consistent with the Prison Service's approach to working with this age group. Various permutations are permitted at the discretion of Governors at prisons housing more than one category of prisoner.
	Implementation was organised locally and staged across a two year period. Any attempt to ascertain additional costs to the Prison Service would therefore be complex and would incur disproportionate costs.

Reoffenders

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were convicted of a crime while serving a prison term in each of the last 10 years, broken down by category of offence.

David Hanson: Information is not available on the number of offences committed in prison which subsequently lead to court proceedings.

Reoffenders

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the reoffending rate was of prisoners from each prison in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Re-offending rates are not available for individual prisons. Prison information is not included in the standard datasets used to calculate the national level re-offending rates. In addition, since many prisoners serve their sentence in a number of different prisons it is not possible to relate their subsequent re-offending to a single prison.

Secure Psychiatric Units

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on the possible use of spare capacity in secure psychiatric hospitals to accommodate  (a) male and  (b) female adult sentenced prisoners.

David Hanson: Since taking up his position my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice has had no discussions with the Secretary of State for Health on this subject.
	There were discussions at ministerial and official level between the Home Office and the Department of Health prior to 9 May 2007 and the creation of the Ministry of Justice. These discussions continued at official level once responsibility for prison policy transferred to the Ministry of Justice.
	HMP Kennet, which opened in June 2007, was converted from a former secure hospital. There are few unused mental health units in existence and it takes considerable time and investment to convert them meaning that building new capacity in existing prisons usually represents better value for money. Any spare mental health capacity is usually in beds within units, rather than whole units, and so is not suitable for redesignation.
	If an individual is serving a prison sentence and suffers from severe mental illness, they can only be transferred to detention in mental health secure accommodation if they meet the strict criteria of the Mental Health Act 1983. Detention in secure NHS facilities other than under the Mental Health Act 1983 would be unlawful.
	Future prison capacity is being considered by Lord Carter of Coles who is due to report in the autumn of 2007.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Asbestos: Industrial Health and Safety

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of businesses in the UK which are not fully compliant with the asbestos regulations.

Anne McGuire: No such estimate has been made.
	Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive, local authorities, Her Majesty's Custom and Excise and the Office of the Rail Regulator monitor compliance with those asbestos regulations dealing with health and safety matters when visiting premises in Great Britain and will issue notices or undertake prosecutions in accordance with the Health and Safety Commission's enforcement policy when businesses fail to comply.
	HSE also publishes research undertaken on levels of compliance with particular asbestos regulations on its website such as the recently published Cascading messages through othersthe effect on awareness of, and compliance with the duty to manage asbestos regulations (RR559).

Asbestos: Industrial Health and Safety

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions have been brought in the last five years against businesses failing to comply with asbestos regulations; and how many asbestos-related deaths have occurred during the last five years.

Anne McGuire: In the five-year period 2001-02 to 2005-06 there were 257 offences prosecuted by the HSE's Field Operations Directorate (FOD) and local authorities under asbestos regulations in Great Britain, of which there were 195 convictions. A yearly breakdown of offences prosecuted is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Offences prosecuted  Convictions  Total fines ()  Average fine () 
			 2001-02 77 63 120,800 1,917 
			 2002-03 49 35 100,500 2,871 
			 2003-04 57 48 116,100 2,419 
			 2004-05 28 24 145,950 6,081 
			 2005-06 46 25 76,750 3,070 
		
	
	There is no single source of data that gives the total number of asbestos-related deaths. The number of deaths from mesothelioma and asbestosis combined in Great Britain in each of the last five years for which data are available are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Great Britain 
			   Number 
			 2000 1,819 
			 2001 2,095 
			 2002 2,101 
			 2003(1) 2,120 
			 2004(1) 2,235 
			 (1) Provisional  Sources: HSE GB mesothelioma register HSE GB asbestosis register 
		
	
	The total number of asbestos-related lung cancer deaths cannot be directly enumerated, since asbestos-related lung cancers (other than mesothelioma) are clinically indistinguishable from lung cancers due to other causes. Current evidence suggests that the number of other asbestos-related lung cancer deaths is similar to the number of deaths due to mesothelioma. Therefore, since mesothelioma deaths account for the vast majority in the above tabled, the total number of deaths due to asbestos is likely to be approximately double that given above.

Average Earnings: Elderly

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average income of those aged over 65 years  (a) was in 1997 and  (b) is now.

Mike O'Brien: The information that is available is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Average gross income of pensioner units where the head is aged 65 or over (per week, 2005-06 prices) 
			   
			   1997-98  2005-06 
			 Pensioner couples 369 445 
			 Single pensioners 178 233 
			  Notes 1. Gross income is income from all sources received by the pensioner unit including income from social security benefits, earnings from employment, any private pension, and tax credits. 2. Based on survey data and as such subject to a degree of sampling and non sampling error. 3. Figures are for Great Britain. 4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest  5. Pensioner units are either pensioner couples or single pensioners. 6. Pensioner couples are couples where one or more of the adults are state pension age or over. 7. The head of the benefit unit in most cases will be the same as the head of household. Head of household is classified as the highest income householder (person in whose name the property is owned or rented) without regard to gender. For households where the pensioner benefit unit does not include the head of household, the head of benefit unit will be the first person interviewed in the benefit unit.  Source: Pensioners' Income Series 2005-06 (Revised)

Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what obligations will be placed on non-resident parents to report changes of  (a) employment,  (b) income and  (c) address under the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: There are no plans to require non-resident parents to report such changes in circumstances.
	Maintenance will normally be based on income figures provided by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the latest available tax year. But if the non-resident parent's income changes, and their current income is higher or lower than the HMRC figure by 25 per cent. or more, the non-resident parent or parent with care will be able to report this as a change of circumstance. The maintenance calculation would then be reviewed and based on the non-resident parent's current income.

Child Support Agency

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of Child Support Agency liability orders contained inaccuracies in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 25 June 2007,  Official report, column 431W.

Child Support Agency

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the responsibilities are of the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Plaskitt) with regard to the Child Support Agency.

James Plaskitt: My noble Friend Lord McKenzie of Luton has the policy lead for the Child Support Agency. I have portfolio responsibility for the Child Support Agency in the House of Commons.

Child Support Agency: Arrears

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether the Child Support Agency (CSA) has authority to make advance payments of arrears in cases where the arrears are due to error on the part of the CSA; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 18 July 2007
	 The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 26 July 2007:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Child Support Agency (CSA) has authority to make advance payments of arrears in cases where the arrears is due to error on the part of the CSA; and if he will make a statement.
	An advance payment of maintenance is a discretionary lump sum payment of arrears made to a parent with care by the Agency before the money is collected from the non-resident parent. The criteria which must be met before the Agency can authorise payment are set out in the Advance Payments of Maintenance Guide, which can be found at http://intralink/2/csa/guides/apm_guide/apm_guide.htm.
	Where there is a request for an advance payment of maintenance the Agency will thoroughly investigate the circumstances of a case to determine whether it is a valid request. Only those cases where maladministration is established and that satisfy all the pre-defined administrative criteria can be considered.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency: Debt Collection

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the amount of Child Support Agency arrears which is recoverable; how much of that he expects to be recovered by  (a) 2008,  (b) 2010,  (c) 2011,  (d) 2012,  (e) 2015 and  (f) 2020; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The Agency has committed this year, under the Operational Improvement Plan, to collect 970 million in child support maintenance of which at least 120 million is arrears. The Agency has estimated 1.4 billion of existing arrears is collectable.
	The Government propose in the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill to introduce powers to encourage ongoing compliance by extending the range of enforcement powers that are currently available to the Agency and streamlining the framework in which they are used. The Bill also proposes to introduce powers so that the new Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will be able to manage debt more effectively. Subject to parliamentary approval the Commission will be able to:
	negotiate debt settlements; with agreement of the PWC.
	recover arrears from the estate of deceased non-resident parents;
	offset child maintenance liabilities; and
	write off debt in very limited circumstances, typically with agreement of PWC.
	Future arrears recovery targets have yet to be agreed.

Child Support Agency: Debt Collection

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Child Support Agency cases involved committal proceedings in each of the last five years.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty dated 26 July 2007:
	In reply to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Child Support Agency cases involved committal proceedings in each of the last five years.
	The information you asked for is provided in the attached table. This includes sentences passed for England, Wales and Scotland.
	Commitment to prison or disqualification from holding a driving licence is the ultimate sanction available to the courts for recovery of arrears of Child Support maintenance. If the non-resident parent is found guilty of wilful refusal or culpable neglect the court will decide which of the available sanctions is the most appropriate.
	I hope you find this answer helpful
	
		
			  Numbers of committals and driving licences disqualifications 
			   April 2002 to March 2003  April 2003 to March 2004  April 2004 to March 2005  April 2005 to March 2006  February 2006 to January 2007 
			 Number of suspended prison sentences passed 36 107 (1)225 (1)390 (1)385 
			 Number of prison service sentences passed 4 9 (1)5 (1)15 (1)40 
			 Number of suspended driving licence disqualification sentences passed 7 9 (1)25 (1)35 (1)30 
			 Number of driving licence disqualification sentences passed 1 1 (1)5 (1)5 (1)5 
			 (1 )Sourced from the Agency's quarterly summary statistics. Prior to April 2004, the figures given were clerically collated and are actual figures, not subject to rounding.   Notes: 1. Figures sourced from the Agency's quarterly summary statistics are rounded to the nearest five.  2. The figures for 2006-07 are from February 2006 to January 2007 and these are the latest available published figures.

Child Support Agency: Debt Collection

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) liability orders,  (b) county court orders,  (c) third party debt orders and  (d) property charging orders were secured by the Child Support Agency in each of the last five years.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 26 July 2007:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) liability orders (b) county court orders (c) third party debt orders and (d) property charging orders were secured by the Child Support Agency in each of the last five years.
	To enable us to provide you with as much information as possible, we are providing figures on how many orders for recovery have been granted by the County Courts with subsequent registration of the order as county court judgements, and the number of Child Support Agency orders registered by the Agency in the Register of Judgements, Orders and Fines.
	The information available is displayed in the attached table. Robust information is not available in relation to the number of orders for recovery third party debt and charging orders granted prior to the introduction of the new Management Information database during 2003.
	An order for recovery is required prior to undertaking any County Court actions such as third party debt orders or charging orders. The Agency does not distinguish between the number of charging orders granted in respect of property as opposed to other assets such as stock and shares or interest in trusts. The data supplied in the gable is therefore in respect of all charging orders granted.
	Once a liability order has been granted, if it has been determined that actions taken via the County Court are appropriate to recover the arrears due to the Agency, the liability order will be registered in the County Court and an 'order for recovery' obtained. The County Courts have the responsibility for registering the liability order as a county court judgment.
	The Agency may also enter the liability order in the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines (for England and Wales) as a Child Support Agency order. This register is used by credit reference agencies to establish someone's credit rating and can affect membership of a professional body or employment status.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  Number of liability orders granted and Child Support Orders registered for the past five years ending March 2007 
			   April 2002 to  March 2003  April 2003 to  March 2004  April 2004 to March 2005  April 2005 to March 2006  April 2006 to March 2007 
			 Liability Orders granted 2,383 3,885 *7,760 *11,245 *13,335 
			 Order for Recoveries registered (county court orders)   1,965 2,947 4,037 
			 Third Party Debt Orders secured   398 316 396 
			 Charging Orders Secured   409 818 1,142 
			 Child Support Orders registered 284 513 1,315 2,328 1,922 
			  Notes: 1. A liability order is a document obtained from the court showing that they legally recognise that the debt is owed. This is the same in both England and Wales and Scotland. This is required before the Agency can use litigation powers (Diligence in Scotland). 2. The figures marked with an asterix* are sourced from the Agency's Quarterly Summary Statistics. Prior to April 2004, the figures given were clerically collated and are actual figures, not subject to rounding. 3. Figures sourced from the Agency's Quarterly Summary Statistics are rounded to the nearest five. 4. The Liability Order figures for 2006-07 are from February 2006 to January 2007 and these are the latest figures are published available. 5. The registration of the liability order as a county court judgment in the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines (for England and Wales) is the responsibility of the County Courts. The data provided therefore is the number of orders for recovery obtained and the number of Child Support orders registered by the Agency in the Register of Judgments Orders and Fines.

Child Support Agency: Debt Collection

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what projections he has made of the level of disregard for child maintenance necessary to lift 100,000 children out of poverty.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 19 July 2007
	Around 80,000 children could be lifted out of poverty by extending the 10 disregard to existing old scheme cases, increasing the flat rate from 5 per week to 7 per week and increasing the proportion of parents with care who are in receipt of maintenance. These measures were outlined in the child maintenance White Paper 'A new system of child maintenance'.
	The level of the disregard has not yet been decided. In the regulatory impact assessment which accompanied the publication of the Child Maintenance and Other Payments Bill, we published a prudent estimate, based on the assumption of a 20 disregard, that the reforms would lift an additional 100,000 children out of poverty. Clearly, a higher disregard would lead to a greater number of children being lifted out of poverty.

Child Support Agency: Debt Collection

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 17 July 2007,  Official Report, column 206W, on children: maintenance, if he will investigate the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency's claims  (a) that he encourages the use of the telephone as the primary means of communication between offices and  (b) that the same administrative and procedural rules apply to all offices of the agency.

James Plaskitt: I can reassure the hon. Member for North Durham that the Agency actively encourages the use of the telephone as the primary means of communication between offices to update or discuss particulars on a case. There is a local service level agreement with CSA Bolton that, in the specific circumstance of dealing with a complaint on a clerical case, we initiate communication in writing to ensure all the necessary information to progress and resolve the client's concerns is to hand.
	I can also reassure the hon. Member that all Child Support Agency offices, including CSA Bolton, are subject to the same legislative and procedural rules when administering a case.

Child Support Agency: Debt Collection

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the effectiveness of the policy of naming and shaming non-resident parents on his Department's website for not meeting Child Support Agency payments.

James Plaskitt: We have carefully considered both the responses to our 'naming and shaming' policy and the initial impact that this policy has had since the first set of names were posted on the Child Support Agency website last month.
	We have also listened carefully to the concerns raised by stakeholders and others around the potential impact of the current policy. The interests of children are paramount in everything we do.
	Initial consideration of the impact of the first names being published has shown that the number of visits on the relevant section of the website peaked on the day the policy was launched. However it quickly returned to previous levelssuggesting low levels of patronage of this part of the website and therefore questioning its potential effectiveness.
	In light of this we will not publish further names at this time whilst we would keep under consideration whether this policy has a role to play in the future. In the mean time the CSA will be focusing its expanded debt and enforcement team on a wider range of initiatives that are intended to help improve compliance. These methods include making more use of credit reference agencies and HMRC data and introducing more flexible payment methods. In the future the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission will be building on this, introducing further enforcement measures to maximise compliance.

Departments: Common Purpose

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department paid to Common Purpose in each of the last five years; for what purpose; and what the outcome of the expenditure was.

Anne McGuire: A number of DWP senior managers have attended leadership courses run by Common Purpose in the last five years. The total expenditure for each of the last five years is listed in the following table. The courses have helped improve leadership skills. Given the nature of these courses, they have also helped foster valuable partnerships in the local community which can be used to improve the service offered to our customers.
	
		
			   
			   Total Spend( 1) 
			 2002-03 43,452 
			 2003-04 72,691 
			 2004-05 48,980 
			 2005-06 43,111 
			 2006-07 31,161 
			 (1) Rounded to nearest 1

Departments: Flint Bishop Solicitors

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have made payments to Flint Bishop solicitors since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions have no records of making any payments to a company called Flint Bishop Solicitors. However it has made payments to a company called Flint Bishop and Barnett. The information shown in the following table is for payments made to Flint Bishop and Barnett solicitors.
	
		
			  Payments made to Flint Bishop and Barnett solicitors since 1997 to date 
			
			   Amount 
			 1997 229.13 
			 1999 4,914.73 
			 2001 1,206.00 
			 2003 8,591 .04 
			 2004 45,523.22 
			 2005 1,466.56 
			 2006 411.56

Departments: Legislation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years did not contain sunset clauses; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The Bills introduced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in the last five years which did not contain sunset clauses were the Bills for the State Pension Credit Act 2002, the Age-Related Payments Act 2004, the Pensions Act 2004, the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and the Child Benefit Act 2005 and also the Child Maintenance and other Payments Bill and the Pensions Bill which are currently before Parliament.
	The Bill for the Welfare Reform Act 2007 did contain such a clause: see section 31(3).
	The appropriateness of a sunset clause for the whole or part of any proposed legislation is considered on a case-by-case basis. It is also addressed when a regulatory impact assessment relating to legislation is being prepared.

Departments: Ministerial Red Boxes

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many ministerial red boxes his Department bought in each of the last five years; what the cost of each was; who the suppliers were; and what tendering process was used in selecting them.

Anne McGuire: The Department has bought a total of 12 boxes in the last five years, as detailed in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of Boxes  Cost of each box () 
			 2003 6 1 @ 565 
			   5 @ 585 
			 2004 0  
			 2005 3 1 @ (1)385 
			   1 @ 510 
			   1 @ 515 
			 2006 2 2 @ 529 
			 2007 1 1 @ 730 
			 (1) Cost reduced as supplier was able to use salvaged lock in new box. 
		
	
	The boxes are ordered from Banner Business Supplies (formerly the Stationery Office).
	The Department has not been involved in any tendering process for the supply of boxes.

Departments: Sick Leave

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the expenditure by his Department on managing and rehabilitating sick employees of his Department in the last 12 months.

Anne McGuire: Managing and rehabilitating employees is carried out in conjunction with the Department's Occupational Health provider. In the period July 2006 to June 2007 the Department spent a total of 3.147million on occupational health services.

Departments: Visits Abroad

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much each of the agencies of his Department spent on foreign travel in each of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: Details of the total departmental spend on foreign travel, including travel to European Union countries, in the 12 months since June 2006 is provided as follows. Information prior to this date or by agency is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.
	
		
			
			 Overseas hotels 80,354 
			 Overseas air 638,404 
			 Overseas rail 99,955 
			 Total 818,713

Employment

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the implications for employment policy of the report by the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research at Sheffield Hallam University on the real level of unemployment.

Anne McGuire: This report understates the improvement in the labour market over the last 10 years. Since 1997, the number of people in work has increased by over 2.5 million and the numbers claiming out of work benefits is down by over 900,000.
	The Government have re-affirmed its commitment to employment opportunity for allthe modern definition of full employment. The long-term aim is an employment rate equivalent to 80 per cent. of the working age population.
	This means that, while the 45 per cent. fall in the number claiming Jobseeker's Allowance since 1997 is an important achievement, the focus of the Government's effort to help people re-engage with work extends much more widelyparticularly lone parents, those on incapacity benefits and others at a disadvantage in the labour market.
	These policies are bearing fruit. Since 1997 there has been a significant improvement in reduction of unemployment, especially long-term unemployment. Over the same period the number claiming lone parent benefits is down by over 230,000 and the number on incapacity benefits, which is falling for the first time in decades, has reached a seven year low.

Employment: Absent Parents

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has undertaken into the employment rate of non-resident parents.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 24 July 2007
	In 2001 the Department conducted a large survey of the Child Support Agency caseload (DWP report 152) which profiled both persons with care and non-resident parents and most of the non-resident parents (61 per cent.) were in full-time employment at this time.
	At the moment the Department is currently conducting the relationship separation survey which interviews CSA and non CSA persons with care and non-resident parents and covers employment. The results of this research will be published in January 2008.

Hazardous Substances: Storage

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) additional and  (b) amended advice has been issued on the separation from each type of hazardous material storage of (i) other businesses, (ii) residential homes and (iii) schools and other establishments following the Buncefield fire; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 16 July 2007
	HSE published a consultation document (CD) 'Proposals for revised policies for HSE advice on development control around large-scale petrol storage' in February 2007. This set out a number of options:
	Option 1no change to land use planning (LUP) advice;
	Option 2change size of consultation distance and zones, based on hazard;
	Option 3change size of consultation distance (as option 2) and development sensitivity levels;
	Option 4change size of Consultation Distance informed by risk, and adopt new development proximity zone to give more restrictive advice.
	The consultation period closed on 22 May and responses are being analysed.
	HSE had previously written in December 2006 to all planning authorities identified as having at least one similar installation to the Buncefield depot. This letter asked planning authorities, ahead of the CD's publication, not to progress pre-application discussions with developers about any proposal within 250 metres of the site boundary which would add to the number of people in the area, or any significant public use development up to 400 metres from the boundary.

Hazards: Housing

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on separation distances needed between Control of Major Accident Hazard sites and residential houses, with particular reference to liquefied natural gas storage facilities; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	I have had no such discussions.
	It is a matter for HSE under the Planning (Hazardous Substances) Act 1990 to set a consultation distance around major hazards sites and to notify the relevant Local Planning Authority (LPA). The Town and Country (General Development Procedure) Order 1995 requires the LPA to consult HSE about certain proposed developments within any consultation distance and on any applications for hazardous substances consent.

Incapacity Benefit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incapacity benefit claimants have transferred from claiming incapacity benefit to  (a) pension credit and  (b) any other benefit in each month since November 2004.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 24 July 2007
	The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance terminations where the claimant moved on to other benefits 
			  Quarter ending  Number who flowed on to pension credit  Number who flowed on to income support  Number who flowed on to jobseeker's allowance 
			 November 2004 1,300 34,500 22,800 
			 February 2005 1,900 32,200 21,800 
			 May 2005 1,700 37,100 22,600 
			 August 2005 1,500 34,500 20,400 
			 November 2005 1,200 34,800 19,200 
			 February 2006 1,800 35,300 18,900 
			 May 2006 1,900 38,100 19,000 
			 August 2006 2,100 40,700 20,400 
			 November 2006 (1)1,200 (1)34,100 (1)12,900 
			 (1 )Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters. For illustration purposes, total commencements for May 2004 increased by 18 per cent in the year following their initial release.  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Figures represent people who moved to pension credit, income support or jobseeker's allowance within seven days of the IB/SDA claim ending.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 5 per cent. terminations dataset.

Incapacity Benefit

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) 20 Parliamentary constituencies and  (b) 20 local authorities were with the highest number of incapacity benefit claimants in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many there were in each such constituency and local authority.

Anne McGuire: The available information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  20 parliamentary constituencies with the highest number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement Allowance claimantsNovember 2006 
			  Parliamentary Constituency  Number of claimants 
			 Glasgow East 10,750 
			 Glasgow North East 10,580 
			 Liverpool Riverside 9,960 
			 Manchester Central 9,790 
			 Easington 8,900 
			 Manchester Blackley 8,890 
			 Regents Park and Kensington North 8,870 
			 Glasgow Central 8,800 
			 Liverpool Walton 8,560 
			 Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 8,530 
			 Rhondda 8,470 
			 Rutherglen and Hamilton West 8,320 
			 Caerphilly 8,220 
			 Glasgow South West 8,220 
			 Blackpool South 7,950 
			 Liverpool West Derby 7,780 
			 Blackburn 7,720 
			 Rochdale 7,690 
			 Glasgow North West 7,680 
			 Middlesbrough 7,590 
			  Note: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: DWP Information Directorate 100 per cent. WPLS 
		
	
	
		
			  20 local authorities with the highest number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimantsNovember 2006 
			  Local authority  Number of claimants 
			 Glasgow City 58,030 
			 Birmingham 54,610 
			 Liverpool 39,190 
			 Manchester 36,140 
			 Leeds 31,010 
			 Sheffield 26,190 
			 North Lanarkshire 25,700 
			 Bradford 24,790 
			 Rhondda, Cynon, Taff 22,480 
			 Edinburgh, City of 22,370 
			 Wigan 21,230 
			 Bristol, City of 21,170 
			 Sunderland 21,110 
			 Fife 20,320 
			 South Lanarkshire 20,300 
			 Wirral 20,110 
			 Wakefield 19,890 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 19,280 
			 Cardiff 18,310 
			 Kirklees 17,960 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10  Source: DWP Information Directorate 100 Per cent. WPLS

Low Incomes

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people lived in households earning less than 40 per cent. of median income  (a) in 1997 and  (b) in 2006, broken down by region.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 23 July 2007
	The information requested is not available.

Mesothelioma

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people died from mesothelioma in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the north east and  (d) England in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The number of mesothelioma deaths which occurred in South Tyneside, the north east, and England is given in the following table. Death statistics for mesothelioma are not held in a form which allows data for individual UK constituencies to be readily available.
	
		
			   Place of death 
			   South Tyneside  North East  England 
			 1997 15 126 1,181 
			 1998 12 100 1,334 
			 1999 8 119 1,406 
			 2000 15 123 1,425 
			 2001 18 154 1,630 
			 2002 9 127 1,622 
			 2003(1) 8 112 1,641 
			 2004(1) 15 134 1,718 
			 (1 )Provisional.  Source:  HSE Great Britain Mesothelioma Register

Minimum Wage

Terry Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will link the permitted work upper earnings level to the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 24 July 2007
	The permitted work upper earnings limit has been linked to the national minimum wage since it was introduced in 2002. It will be increased from 86 a week to 88.50 a week from 1 October this year to maintain this link.

Pension Funds: Divorce

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness with which pension fund trustees are carrying out their functions in relation to divorcees under the new rules on pension sharing; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Pension sharing on divorce became available for all new divorces commenced on or after 1 December 2000, to enable divorcing couples to achieve a fair financial settlement.
	All trustees are required to have a knowledge and understanding of the law relating to pensions.

Pensioners: Income

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average weekly income of  (a) a pensioner couple and  (b) a single pensioner in (i) the UK, (ii) Yorkshire and Humber and (iii) City of York constituency was in (A) real and (B) cash terms in (1) 1997 and (2) the latest date for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: The information that is available is shown in the following tables. Information cannot be provided at a lower level than government office region.
	
		
			  Average gross weekly income by family type in real terms  (   per week, 2005-06 prices) 
			   1997-981999-2000  2003-042005-06 
			  Pensioner couples   
			 Yorkshire and Humber 380 440 
			 Great Britain 400 482 
			 United Kingdom n/a 480 
			
			  Single pensioners   
			 Yorkshire and Humber 178 217 
			 Great Britain 191 229 
			 United Kingdom n/a 229 
		
	
	
		
			  Average gross weekly income by family type in cash terms  ( per week) 
			   1997-981999-2000  2003-042005-06 
			  Pensioner couples   
			 Yorkshire and Humber 324 428 
			 Great Britain 341 469 
			 United Kingdom n/a 468 
			
			  Single pensioners   
			 Yorkshire and Humber 152 211 
			 Great Britain 163 224 
			 United Kingdom n/a 223 
			  Notes: 1. Gross income is income from all sources received by the pensioner unit including income from social security benefits, earnings from employment, any private pension, and tax credits. 2. Based on survey data and as such subject to a degree of sampling and non sampling error. 3. Figures are based on the average of three years' data as single year estimates do not provide a robust guide to year-on-year changes. Figures in real terms represent the average of the three individual years, each shown in 2005-06 prices. For this reason, cash figures (based on the cash figures for each year) do not equal the values in real terms for the period 2003-042005-06. 4. Data for the United Kingdom are not available for the period 1997-98 to 1999-2000. 5. Figures have been rounded to the nearest . 6. Pensioner units are either pensioner couples or single pensioners. 7. Pensioner couples are couples where one or more of the adults are state pension age or over.  Source: Pensioners' Income Series 2005-06 (Revised)

Pensions: Females

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women in the UK are not eligible to receive a full state pension.

Mike O'Brien: As of August 2006 there were around 3.5 million women of state pension age in Great Britain not receiving a full basic State Pension.
	 Notes:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest 50,000.
	Figures refer to women living in GB as UK data are not available.
	The full rate of basic State Pension in August 2006 was 84.25 per week.
	A full basic State Pension is paid to those who fully satisfy the contribution conditions either in their own right or where applicable, on the basis of their late or former spouse's contributions.
	 Source:
	Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. The data is available via the Tabulation Tool on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/tabtool.asp

Pensions: Financial Assistance Scheme

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether the Financial Assistance Scheme asks qualifying pension schemes to provide information which could enable it to determine whether the employer in relation to the scheme took a contributory holiday at any stage;
	(2)  whether he intends to undertake research on the extent to which employers in relation to qualifying schemes for the Financial Assistance Scheme took contribution holidays.

Mike O'Brien: There is no requirement on the Department to request or hold information relating to pension contribution holidays. I have no plans to undertake such research.

Pensions: Low Income

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of pensioners in the UK receive the minimum level of weekly income in retirement as defined by the Government.

Mike O'Brien: The guarantee credit element of Pension Credit ensures people aged 60 or over have a minimum guaranteed weekly income of 119.05 for single people and 181.70 for couples. This is known as the standard minimum guarantee. There are 1.5 million beneficiaries of the standard minimum guarantee, which represents around 12 per cent. of the population aged 60 or over. This does not include people who are entitled to additional amounts within their Pension Credit for severe disabilities, caring responsibilities and housing costs.
	 Notes:
	Figures are derived from the DWP five per cent sample data, rated to match 100 per cent totals.
	Beneficiary figures are as at November 2006.
	GB population figures are as at mid 2005.
	Beneficiary figures are rounded to the nearest 100 and include those receiving guarantee credit only and those on guarantee credit and savings credit.
	 Source:
	DWP Information Directorate five per cent sample and 100 per cent Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study data; and ONS, Population Estimates Unit

Poverty

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) children under 16 years old,  (b) adults and  (c) pensioners were living in severe poverty in each year since 1997.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not available as there is no standard definition of severe poverty.
	An internationally recognised measure of low incomeand the most commonly used globallyis 60 per cent. of median household income.
	In the Households Below Average Income report, the Department reports on low income, and sets out the percentage of households with less than 70, 60 and 50 per cent. of equivalised median income.
	The latest figures on low income for people in the UK can be found in Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2005/06 (Revised).

Social Security Benefits

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of claims for  (a) jobseeker's allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) income support were made (i) over the telephone, (ii) using a paper form and (iii) in person in each of the last 10 years.

James Plaskitt: The information requested is not available.

Social Security Benefits: Disabled

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the outcome is of the disability equality impact assessment of the personal capability assessment.

Caroline Flint: A disability equality impact assessment (DEIA) of the revised personal capability assessment (PCA) has been carried out as part of the Department's overall DEIA of welfare reforms.
	The mental health component of the PCA has been thoroughly reviewed in order to ensure that it reflects the type of conditions prevalent today. In particular it now reflects the needs of people with learning disability, autistic spectrum disorder, and other conditions that are not mental illnesses but that have a significant impact on mental function. We anticipate that this will lead to assessments that are more equitable between groups with different impairments.
	The new element of the PCA, the work-focused, health-related assessment, explores the person's perceptions and concerns about their condition, as well as identifying health-related support and interventions that will help the person to get back into work.
	Throughout the review of the PCA, stakeholder groups representing disabled people have been fully consulted and involved; and focus groups containing a number of people with mental illness, learning disability, or autistic spectrum disorder have been consulted. The work-focused, health-related assessment has been piloted with customers claiming incapacity benefit.

Unemployment Benefits: Expenditure

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of unemployment benefits was  (a) at current prices and  (b) as a percentage of gross domestic product in each year since 1979.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Unemployment benefits paid in Great Britain since 1978-79 ( million 2007-08 prices) 
			   Unemployment benefit  Income support for the unemployed  Jobseeker's allowance contribution-based  Jobseeker's  allowance income-based  Housing benefit/council tax benefit and predecessors  Total 
			 1978-79 2,546 2,075   971 5,592 
			 1979-80 2,251 1,803   931 4,985 
			 1980-81 3,733 2,317   1,032 7,082 
			 1981-82 4,532 4,026   1,478 10,035 
			 1982-83 3,730 6,383   1,741 11,853 
			 1983-84 3,557 7,738   1,934 13,229 
			 1984-85 3,562 8,421   2,059 14,042 
			 1985-86 3,401 9,020   2,173 14,594 
			 1986-87 3,595 8,990   2,283 14,868 
			 1987-88 2,882 7,824   2,242 12,948 
			 1988-89 2,031 5,588   2,223 9,842 
			 1990-91 1,381 4,670   2,364 8,415 
			 1991-92 2,400 6,286   2,656 11,342 
			 1992-93 2,552 7,800   3,680 14,031 
			 1993-94 2,334 8,107   3,831 14,272 
			 1994-95 1,809 7,215   3,884 12,908 
			 1995-96 1,489 6,516   3,642 11,647 
			 1996-97 768 3,083 435 2,396 3,319 10,000 
			 1997-98   603 4,342 2,583 7,528 
			 1998-99   587 3,819 2,090 6,496 
			 1999-2000   557 3,394 1,827 5,779 
			 2000-01   535 2,915 1,622 5,072 
			 2001-02   549 2,498 1,412 4,459 
			 2002-03   588 2,388 1,424 4,401 
			 2003-04   559 2,260 1,290 4,110 
			 2004-05   445 1,759 1,333 3,537 
			 2005-06   512 1,919 1,477 3,907 
			 2006-07   493 2,024 1,637 4,154 
			 2007-08   495 2,051 1,694 4,240 
		
	
	
		
			  Unemployment benefits paid in Great Britain as a percentage of GDP since 1978-79 
			   Unemployment benefit  Income support for the unemployed  Jobseeker's allowance contribution-based  Jobseeker's Allowance income-based  Housing benefit/council tax benefit and predecessors  Total 
			 1978-79 0.4 0.3   0.1 0.8 
			 1979-80 0.3 0.3   0.1 0.7 
			 1980-81 0.5 0.3   0.1 1.0 
			 1981-82 0.7 0.6   0.2 1.5 
			 1982-83 0.5 0.9   0.2 1.7 
			 1983-84 0.5 1.1   0.3 1.8 
			 1984-85 0.5 1.1   0.3 1.9 
			 1985-86 0.4 1.2   0.3 1.9 
			 1986-87 0.4 1.1   0.3 1.8 
			 1987-88 0.3 0.9   0.3 1.5 
			 1988-89 0.2 0.6   0.3 1.1 
			 1989-90 0.1 0.5   0.2 0.9 
			 1990-91 0.2 0.5   0.3 0.9 
			 1991-92 0.3 0.7   0.3 1.3 
			 1992-93 0.3 0.9   0.4 1.6 
			 1993-94 0.3 0.9   0.4 1.5 
			 1994-95 0.2 0.8   0.4 1.3 
			 1995-96 0.2 0.7   0.4 1.2 
			 1996-97 0.1 0.3 0.0 0.2 0.3 1.0 
			 1997-98   0.1 0.4 0.2 0.7 
			 1998-99   0.1 0.4 0.2 0.6 
			 1999-2000   0.0 0.3 0.2 0.5 
			 2000-01   0.0 0.3 0.1 0.4 
			 2001-02   0.0 0.2 0.1 0.4 
			 2002-03   0.0 0.2 0.1 0.4 
			 2003-04   0.0 0.2 0.1 0.3 
			 2004-05   0.0 0.1 0.1 0.3 
			 2005-06   0.0 0.1 0.1 0.3 
			 2006-07   0.0 0.2 0.1 0.3 
			 2007-08   0.0 0.1 0.1 0.3 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are consistent with Budget 2007 published expenditure and forecasts. 2. Percentage figures in Table (2) are rounded to one decimal place. 3. Unemployed benefit (UB) was replaced by Jobseeker's Allowance which was introduced in October 1996. 4. Jobseeker's Allowance (income based) figures include claimants in receipt of income-based Jobseeker's Allowance who would also be entitled to the contributory element. 5. Jobseeker's Allowance (contribution based) figures include claimants in receipt of income-based Jobseeker's Allowance who would also be entitled to the contributory element. Only the amount of income-based award above the level of contribution-based award is included in this.  Source: DWP Expenditure tables

Allowances Yorkshire and Humberside

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in  (a) Yorkshire and Humber and  (b) City of York received (i) winter fuel payments and (ii) free television licences in the last year for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: In winter 2006-07 753,890 households in the Yorkshire and Humber Government Office Region received a winter fuel payment and 14,830 households in the City of York constituency received the payment.
	TV Licensing, who administer free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, in winter 2006-07, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over receiving the winter fuel payment in the Yorkshire and Humber Government Office Region was 303,160 and there were 6,620 such households in the City of York constituency. Each of these households would be eligible for a free TV licence.
	 Notes
	1. Figures rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. Figures for 2006-07 refer only to the main payment run so they do not include the late payment run figures. We estimate that there are approximately 100,000 people in Great Britain paid in late payment runs (0.8 per cent. of all payments). Since most of the payment runs are to people who are not receiving another benefit from DWP and whose claims had not been received by the qualifying week, most are men aged 60 to 64.
	3. Any residence found to have four or more occupants is not included in these figures as it is assumed to be a Residential Care or Nursing Home.
	4. Government office regions and parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	 Source
	Information directorate 100 per cent. data

Written Questions

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to answer questions  (a) 147300 and  (b) 147298, on the Abingdon Carpets pension fund, tabled by the hon. Member for Islwyn on 28 June.

Mike O'Brien: I replied to my hon. Friend's questions on 23 July 2007,  Official Report, column 733W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been issued with more than one antisocial behaviour order.

Vernon Coaker: From the data collected centrally, it is not possible to identify where multiple antisocial behaviour orders have been issued to the same person.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what proportion of people in receipt of antisocial behaviour orders had previously received  (a) a criminal conviction,  (b) a police caution,  (c) a penalty notice for disorder and  (d) another form of antisocial behaviour intervention in each of the last three years for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the average number of prior convictions is of persons in receipt of antisocial behaviour orders.

Vernon Coaker: Data collected centrally on antisocial behaviour orders does not include any information on a person's criminal history.

Asylum: Zimbabwe

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers have been returned to Zimbabwe in the last six months.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 25 July 2007
	Between October 2006 and March 2007, 170 asylum applicants (including dependants) were removed from the UK to Zimbabwe. This is the latest six-month period for which figures are available. Figures include persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them, persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration and those who it is established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities. This figure has been rounded to the nearest five and is provisional.
	The figure does not include any enforced removals; in the case of Zimbabwe, on 26 September 2006 we stated in the High Court that we will not enforce the return of failed asylum seekers to Zimbabwe until ongoing country guidance litigation is concluded, and that continues to be the position.
	At present, the latest figures available correspond to the first quarter of 2007. Information relating to asylum removals during the second quarter of 2007 will be published in the Asylum Statistics: 2nd Quarter 2007 bulletin (scheduled for 21 August). Copies of this publication will be available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Boris Berezovsky

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 53W, on Boris Berezovsky, if she will take steps to enable parliamentary scrutiny of the decisions of the Border and Immigration Agency relating to political asylum via questions relating to individual cases; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 24 July 2007
	All applicants are assured at the beginning of the asylum process that details about their claim will be treated in confidence. Therefore it is not possible to comment on individual cases. The Border and Immigration Agency must meet the legal requirements placed on Government Departments by the laws of confidence, article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Data Protection Act 1998. These laws ensure that those genuinely in need of protection can feel secure in telling us the nature of their claim.

Departments: Air Conditioning

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by her Department and its agencies on the hire of mobile air conditioning units in each of the last five years.

Liam Byrne: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost,

Departments: Legal Costs

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was ordered in costs against her Department in the House of Lords cases  (a) Huang (FC)  v. Secretary of State for the Home Department and  (b) Kashmiri (FC)  v. Secretary of State for the Home Department.

Liam Byrne: This information is not available.

Departments: Ministerial Red Boxes

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many ministerial red boxes the Department bought in each of the last five years; what the cost of each was; who the suppliers were; and what tendering process was used in choosing their supplier.

Liam Byrne: Records relating to the purchase of ministerial red boxes in the Department in the last five years are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Official Visits

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on overnight accommodation by civil servants within her Department's areas of responsibilities in the last 12 months.

Liam Byrne: When travelling on departmental business officials are expected to make efficient and cost-effective accommodation arrangements.
	Expenditure figures on overnight accommodation for the Home Office includes information for the core Home Office, the Border and Immigration Agency, the Office for Criminal Justice Reform and the National Offender Management Service (the latter two are now part of the Ministry of Justice). Prior to the Machinery of Government changes, the Department employed approximately 78,000 staff with this figure reducing to approximately 25,000 once the changes were implemented. The total amount covers expenditure on hotel accommodation in the UK and overseas by these civil servants and all ministers.
	The overall spend for financial year 2006-07 for hotel accommodation was 8.28 million.
	Information on civil servant overnight accommodation expenditure separately could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Deportation

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department following the judgments in  (a) Huang (FC)  v. Secretary of State for the Home Department and  (b) Kashmiri (FC)  v. Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will review its policy on deportations.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 24 July 2007
	The relevant policy document has been revised in light of the judgment in Huang and Kashmiri and is available on the Border and Immigration Agency website at:
	http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/asylumpolicyinstructions/apis/article8echr?view=Binary
	Decisions to deport (or remove) foreign nationals from the UK are subject to the instructions found in that document.

Driving Offences: Insurance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number of deaths caused by uninsured drivers.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not available.

Drug Seizures

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2007,  Official Report, columns 2073-74W, on drug seizures, what the  (a) date and  (b) weight was of each seizure referred to on page 22 of the Serious Organised Crime Agency's Annual Report; and which agency was responsible for each seizure.

Vernon Coaker: SOCA is tasked with reducing the harm caused to the UK by serious organised crime. To this end SOCA operations are directed against the most serious organised criminal enterprises (OCEs) causing harm to the UK regardless of their location. For the reasons that the hon. Member will now understand following his recent meeting with the chair and DG of SOCA, publication of the details the hon. Member requests would assist those OCEs to evade interdiction. Many of the seizures relate to ongoing work against the OCEs involved. It is important that SOCA can continue to hide or disguise its involvement in commodity (including Class A drugs) seizures, and that those OCEs involved in drug trafficking which affects this country remain unaware of the background to activity against them by SOCA and its national and international partners.

Drugs: Crime

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) quantity and  (b) street value of illegal drugs was seized by (i) the Serious Organised Crime Agency, (ii) its predecessor agencies and (iii) local police forces in each of the last 10 years, broken down by type of narcotic.

Vernon Coaker: The Serious Organised Crime Agency in its first year of operation, 2006-07, was responsible with other law enforcement agencies for the seizure of 73 tonnes of cocaine, 1.5 tonnes of heroin, 4.4 million tablets of ecstasy, 260 kgs of opium and 1 million doses of LSD with a UK street market value of more than 3 billion.
	The street market value of cocaine and heroin seizures from 2000 were:
	
		
			 million 
			   Cocaine  Heroin 
			 2000 101 136 
			 2001 60 169 
			 2002 9 97 
			 2003 105 64 
			 2004 65 62 
		
	
	The latest available seizure data for police forces, including the National Crime Squad, in England and Wales from 1997 has been placed in the Library of the House.

Drugs: Crime

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the change in the quantities of illegal drugs in the UK over the last 10 years; and what assessment she has made of the changes to the average street value of illegal drugs in that period;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the total amount of illegal drugs imported into the UK in each of the last three years.

Vernon Coaker: Home Office Online Report 16/06, Measuring aspects of problem drug use: methodological developments provides the most recent baseline estimates of market size for 2003-04. The estimates are subject to wide margins of error and are not for methodological reasons comparable with earlier estimates.
	The street price of the main drugs of misuse are estimated to have reduced since 2000.

Firearms: Greater London

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of gun crime have occurred in each London borough since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Firearms are taken to be involved in an incident if they are fired, used as a blunt instrument against a person or used as a threat. The number of offences recorded by the City of London and Metropolitan police in which firearms (excluding air weapons) were reported to have been used between 1997-98 and 2005-06 is given in the tables. Data cannot be broken down by London borough.
	
		
			  Table 1:  Crimes recorded in which firearms (excluding air weapons) were reported to have been used: City of London and Metropolitan police forces, 1997-98 to 2001-02 
			   Number of firearm offences 
			 1997-98 1,951 
			 1998-99(1) 2,034 
			 1999-2000 2,945 
			 2000-01 3,036 
			 2001 -02(2) 4,197 
			 (1) There was a change in the counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998. (2) Figures for some crime categories may have been inflated by some police forces implementing the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard before 1 April 2002. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2:  Crimes recorded in which firearms (excluding air weapons) were reported to have been used: City of London and Metropolitan police forces, 2002-03 to 2005-06( 3,4) 
			   Number of firearm offences 
			 2002-03 4,202 
			 2003-04 3,891 
			 2004-05 3,697 
			 2005-06 3,884 
			 (3) Data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002, which may have resulted in inflated figures for some crime categories. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years. (4) Data for 2006-07 will be available in January 2008.

Immigration: Bulgaria and Romania

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the target processing time is for applications for  (a) Romanian and  (b) Bulgarian nationals under each of the different application processes and pathways through which they can apply to work and remain in the UK; and what percentage of such applications met that target time in the last period for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The published service standards are 70 per cent. of applications under the Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations, cleared within 20 working days of receipt for both Romanian and Bulgarian nationals. 77 per cent. of applications made were cleared within the target time in the three month period ending on 31 March 2007.
	The published service standards are 30 per cent. for applications under the European Community Association Agreement, cleared within 70 working days of receipt for both Romanian and Bulgarian nationals. 94 per cent. of applications made were cleared within the target time in the three month period ending on 31 March 2007.
	The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.

Immigration: Bulgaria and Romania

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average  (a) cost and  (b) time taken to process applications for (i) Romanian and (ii) Bulgarian nationals under each of the different application processes and pathways through which they can apply to work and remain in the UK was in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: Information on the average cost to process applications for Romanian and Bulgarian nationals is not available.
	For the three month period ending on 31 March 2007, 77 per cent. of applications under the Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations, were cleared within 20 working days of receipt for both Romanian and Bulgarian nationals.
	In the same period, 94 per cent. of applications under the European Community Association Agreement, were cleared within 70 working days of receipt for both Romanian and Bulgarian nationals.
	The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.

Immigration: Bulgaria and Romania

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many different application processes and pathways there are through which Romanian and Bulgarian nationals can apply to work and remain in the UK.

Liam Byrne: There are two main pathways within which Romanian and Bulgarian nationals can apply to work and remain in the UK.
	Romanian and Bulgarian nationals can apply under the Accession (Immigration and Worker Authorisation) Regulations for a Worker Authorisation Card or a Registration Certificate to confirm they are exercising a Treaty Right in the UK as a Student, Self-employed, Self-sufficient or Highly skilled person, or are exempt from Work Authorisation.
	Bulgarian and Romanian nationals who have had valid leave to remain pre-accession under the European Community Association Agreement and can meet the terms of the agreement for the remainder of the qualifying period, are able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain as a self-employed person.
	Bulgarian and Romanian nationals can also seek Indefinite Leave to Remain under the immigration rules if they were in a category leading to settlement prior to accession.

Immigration: Detention Centres

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make a statement on the use of immigration removal centre places for non-immigration-related detainees.

Liam Byrne: Immigration removal centres can only be used for the purpose of holding those detained solely under Immigration Act powers. Section 147 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 refers.

Naturalisation

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a determination on application for naturalisation of A1079396, acknowledged by her Department on 21 December 2005, will be made.

Liam Byrne: The application has now been determined. The applicant will be informed of the outcome in writing.

Passports: Fraud

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps  (a) her Department and  (b) the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has taken to improve the IPS detection of passport fraud since 2001.

Meg Hillier: holding answer 23 July 2007
	Over the last six years the Identity and Passport Service has undertaken a range of initiatives to improve the prevention and detection of passport fraud. These include:
	Significantly increased security in the passport book through the development and issue from last year of the ePassport which incorporates an RF chip and other advanced physical security features.
	From 2002 the creation of a database of around 750,000 infant death records to counter frauds using dead children's identities.
	The introduction of secure delivery of passports to customers from February 2004 resulting in an 80 per cent. reduction in losses of passports in the post.
	From December 2003, improved arrangements for the reporting, recording and sharing of data on lost/stolen passports. This database of around 1 million records is now shared with UK border control and border control authorities worldwide via Interpol.
	The establishment of fraud and intelligence units in each of its seven passport issuing offices with professional, accredited training for all investigators.
	The introduction of the Passport Validation Service which enables approved government agencies to validate the status of a UK passport which has been presented to them as evidence of identity. The service is also available to organisations regulated by the Financial Services Authority that have to comply with the Know Your Customer statement of good practice requirements.
	On an operational level, IPS are using intelligence received and data on known frauds to actively manage passport fraud identified after the issue of the passport. It is currently investigating some 2,000 cases.
	IPS work collaboratively with the Border and Immigration Agency on (BIA) matters relating to passport fraud and with the police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency on joint actions against those involved in passport fraud. The BIA's National Document Fraud Unit regularly provides training for IPS officers to assist them on detecting passport fraud, and works closely with IPS document experts to ensure the latest and most effective security measures are incorporated in UK passports. IPS and BIA exchange information and intelligence relating to document fraud and BIA accesses electronic records of issued, lost and stolen UK passports and notifies IPS when attempts are made to use UK passports fraudulently.
	Going forward, IPS has developed a comprehensive counter fraud strategy to combat identity fraud in the passport issuing process. This strategy includes:
	interviews for all first-time adult customers;
	checking biographical information to ensure that the identity claimed on the application form is real, living, and can be linked to the customer through cross checks against a range of public and private sector databases;
	the development of facial recognition systems to check applicant images against a database of images of suspected fraudsters;
	checking applicants against increasingly sophisticated internal watch files including the database of passports reported lost or stolen;
	strengthening its business processes for identity authentication, and training and support for passport examiners and specialist fraud units;
	utilising intelligence on known fraud patterns and enhanced capability from information sharing arrangements to conduct searches of the IPS database of 50 million passport records to identify fraud committed in the past.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Angola: Overseas Aid

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the  (a) level of poverty,  (b) access to basic health care,  (c) access to a basic education and  (d) level of government corruption in Angola; and what assistance he is giving to Angola.

Gareth Thomas: The last comprehensive assessment of income poverty in Angola was the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (IDR) in 2001, which was carried out by the National Institution of Statistics, financed by the World Bank. This found that 68 per cent. of the population lived below the poverty line, and 26 per cent. in extreme poverty. In 2004, Angola's Ministry of Health stated that 30 to 40 per cent. of the population had access to primary health care. In 2005 the Ministry of Education reported a primary education net enrolment of 62 per cent.
	Angola rates poorly on corruption indices, although it has shown some improvement in recent years.
	DFID has a bilateral programme of 3 million in 2007-08 for Angola. During this period, Angola will also benefit from other funding sources, including 1.9 million for demining, over 1 million from the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool, and major regional programmes on HIV/AIDS and reintegration of ex-combatants.

Thailand and Burma: Karen Refugees

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution the Government are making to support the work of non-governmental organisations working with Karen refugees on the Thai-Burma border; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: DFID will provide 1.8 million in the period from July 2005 to March 2008 to support Thai based non-governmental organisations to work with refugees, the majority of whom are Karen, and provide cross-border support to internally displaced people on the Thai-Burma border. The British Embassy in Bangkok regularly speaks to the Royal Thai Government on issues affecting Burmese refugees in Thailand.
	DFID considers that both in-country and cross border support is important. It will continue to review the options for reaching displaced people, and the best balance between support from inside Burma and through cross-border border groups and support to refugees. Decisions will take into account planned new work by humanitarian experts from UN OCHA, which will provide better independent analysis of the needs of displaced people, a clearer picture of what other donors are doing, and a better assessment of where there are gaps.

Departments: Air Conditioning

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department and its agencies on the hire of mobile air conditioning units in each of the last five years.

Shahid Malik: The only air conditioning units hired by DFID in our UK offices over this period was during 2003-04, when the cost was 703. There are no agencies for which we are responsible.

Departments: Employment Agencies

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much the Department paid in fees to recruitment agencies for  (a) temporary and  (b) permanent staff in each year since 1997.

Shahid Malik: DFID does not make use of recruitment agencies when recruiting permanent staff to the Home Civil Service. In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners code external appointments are made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.
	DFID periodically engages temporary staff through recruitment agencies, mainly in administrative grades. A management fee is included in the salary costs for each person supplied by the agency but it is not possible to disaggregate the total cost of these fees without incurring disproportionate costs.

Departments: Legislation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years contained sunset clauses; and what plans he has for the future use of such clauses.

Shahid Malik: The International Development Act received royal assent on 26 February 2002. It does not contain a sunset clause
	The appropriateness of a sunset clause for the whole or part of any proposed legislation is considered on a case by case basis. It is also addressed when a regulatory impact assessment relating to legislation is being prepared.

Departments: Legislation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which Bills introduced by his Department in the last five years did not contain sunset clauses; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: The International Development Act received royal assent on 26 February 2002. It does not contain a sunset clause

Departments: Manpower

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many people have been appointed to his Department outside civil service grades in the last 30 days.

Shahid Malik: DFID has appointed two people outside civil service grades in the last 30 days.

Departments: Manpower

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many press officers are employed by his Department.

Shahid Malik: DFID currently employs nine press officers.

Departments: Press

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development to which periodicals his Department subscribes.

Shahid Malik: The DFID Library has subscriptions to printed or electronic versions of the periodicals in the following list. Details of subscriptions held by individual DFID Country Offices and Divisions could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.
	British Medical JournalClinical Research
	BMJ.com
	Bookseller and Bookseller Buyer's Guide
	Comparative Education
	Courrier International
	Democratization
	Development in Practice
	The EconomistUK Edition
	Economist Intelligence Unit Reports and Profiles
	Environment and Urbanisation
	Far Eastern Economic Review
	Foreign Affairs
	Foreign Policy
	Gender and Development
	Gender Technology and Development
	Journal of Development Studies
	Journal of International Development
	Journal of Knowledge Management
	Lancet
	Latin American Weekly Report
	New ScientistUK edition
	New Statesman
	NewsweekInternational Edition
	Oxford Development Studies
	People Management
	Public Administration and Development
	Reproductive Health Matters
	Research Fortnight
	Review of African Political Economy
	Spectator
	Sustainable Development
	Third World Quarterly
	TimeEurope
	Week Magazine
	World Development

Departments: Redundancy Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department on redundancy payments in the last 12 months.

Shahid Malik: The amount spent by the Department for International Development on redundancy payments in the 12 months from June 2006 to May 2007 was 2,653,413.

Departments: Training

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department on  (a) staff training and  (b) communication training in the last 12 months.

Shahid Malik: In financial year 2006-2007, the Department for International Development (DFID) spent 5.94 million on staff learning and development.
	DFID does not have the systems to identify the full range of training activity across its UK and overseas operations that fall under the banner of communications training. Information is only available on some of the larger-scale initiatives to improve communications capability in the last year (2006-2007). These are (with costs):
	Training to improve the DFID's capability in communicating and working with the media: 58,126 (from 6/3/06-25/7/07).
	Communications training to improve customer service in the Human Resources Division: 35,000.
	Effective writing skills for DFID's Policy Division: 27,000.
	Foreign language training: 140,500.
	Strategic communications workshops for Communications Officers across DFID: 7,620.

Departments: Tribunals

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent by his Department on industrial tribunals in the last 12 months.

Shahid Malik: DFID has spent no money on industrial tribunals in the last 12 months. DFID spent 1,500 in the form of compensation payments which originated from a tribunal in a previous period.

Developing Countries: Debts

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much developing countries' debt was written off by the UK Government in financial year 2006-07.

Shahid Malik: Final figures for debt relief expenditure in 2006-07 by the UK Government are not yet available. They will be published in the autumn in DFID's new edition of Statistics on International Development, along with other information on how the UK uses financial resources to support international development.

Developing Countries: Overseas Aid

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding the UK provided for  (a) education,  (b) healthcare and  (c) clean water in developing countries in financial year 2006-07.

Shahid Malik: Provisional estimates of DFID bilateral expenditure show that DFID spent 367.8 million on education, 514.7 million on health and 46.8 million on water and sanitation in financial year 2006-07. These figures do not include DFID contributions to a range of multilateral organisations, a significant proportion of which will also fund education, healthcare and clean water in developing countries.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 21 June 2007 on the global water crisis.

Gareth Thomas: The letter of 21 June 2007 from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire about the global water crisis was received in DFID on 2 July. A reply to this was issued on 24 July.

North Korea: Overseas Aid

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department has had with the European Aid Co-operation Office and the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) about ECHO ending its humanitarian support in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in 2008.

Shahid Malik: DFID has not had any discussions with ECHO or formally with the EuropeAid Co-operation Office this issue. The ending of the ECHO programme by May 2008 was agreed by member states in spring 2006 in the light of the relative stability of the humanitarian situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. EuropeAid will take over operations from ECHO. EuropeAid's terms of reference will differ from those under which ECHO operates, although they will take over responsibility for NGOS operating in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The EuropeAid programme will concentrate more on food security.

Sudan: Overseas Aid

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution the Government has made to the relief effort for those displaced by the floods in Central and Eastern Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: DFID's has not given any direct funding to flood relief as we work through multilateral mechanisms, ensuring more effective co-ordination and response. In 2007, we have contributed 40 million to the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and 40 million to the Sudan Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF), a pioneering multi-donor fund that allows the UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator to direct resources to the most pressing needs. Both mechanisms have funding available and are awaiting appeals to be submitted to them by relief agencies involved in the flood response. DFID is working with the UN to ensure that these appeals will be promptly considered and, where approved, quickly processed. A multi-agency emergency response, including the Sudanese Government and co-ordinated by the UN, has created a shared mechanism to deliver food and other types of assistance to those most in need.

Vaccinations: Tuberculosis

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether the new tuberculosis vaccine developed by the Global Plan to Stop TB will be available worldwide; and what assessment he has made of whether sufficient funding will be allocated to enable developing countries access to it.

Shahid Malik: The Global Plan to Stop TB are not developing a new tuberculosis vaccine. Development of a new TB vaccine is being carried out by a number of different organisations across the globe. It is estimated that a new TB vaccine will be available between 2014 and 2018.
	Decisions about allocation for funding for access will be made once a vaccine is available.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Barbecues: Carbon Emissions

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will estimate the annual carbon emissions from barbecues based on figures for the total annual sale of charcoal and barbecue gas canisters.

Phil Woolas: Carbon dioxide emissions from charcoal combustion are not included in the UK Greenhouse Gas inventory. This is because charcoal is a biomass fuel, rather than a fossil fuel. Emissions data on the use of barbeque gas canisters is not held.

Buildings: Carbon Emissions

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the per capita annual carbon emissions resulting from the  (a) space heating and  (b) air conditioning of domestic and non-domestic buildings.

Phil Woolas: The Government's Market Transformation Programme (MTP) estimates that in 2006 the total annual carbon emissions resulting from non-domestic buildings were approximately 10.5 million tonnes from space heating and 1.6 million tonnes from air conditioning.
	Figures derived from the BREHOMES model of housing stock energy use indicate that the total annual carbon emissions in 2004 resulting from domestic buildings were approximately 20.5 million tonnes from space heating and 7,500 tonnes from domestic air conditioning.
	The population of the UK in 2004 was 59.787 million so the emissions per capita for domestic space heating can be estimated as 343 kg carbon. Those for domestic air conditioning were about 0.13 kg carbon.

Conservation: Paper

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to reduce the Government's paper consumption by 2010.

Joan Ruddock: The Government have set out their vision for sustainable waste management in their Waste Strategy for England 2007. In addition to setting the paper industry targets to reduce paper waste, Departments are required to meet cross-Government sustainable operations targets, launched June 2006, which include commitments to reduce all waste arisings, to increase recycling rates and to meet mandatory levels of recycled content in copier and printed paper. The report is available at:
	http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/sdig2006/

Domestic Wastes: Environmental Health

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of  (a) any change in incidence of vermin and  (b) risks to public health following decisions by local authorities to move to fortnightly refuse collections.

Joan Ruddock: DEFRA has part-funded an independent study, carried out by Enviros Consulting and Cranfield university, to determine whether there are any additional risks to public health associated with the use of alternate collection systems for household waste, compared to weekly collection of refuse.
	The study, which is published on the Enviros website, found no evidence of adverse health impacts or rises in vermin populations associated with fortnightly residual refuse collection, compared to weekly refuse collection. The study also included a review of other published studies.
	The study found that the influence of domestic waste management arrangements on rats is likely to be insignificant in comparison to other factors, such as the age of the property, the area (urban or rural), and the adequate upkeep of drains. Where local authorities plan to change arrangements for the collection of residents' waste, it is essential that they consult local people and design schemes appropriately for local circumstances. New guidance in the form of the Waste and Resources Action Programme's recently published guidance for local authorities on the design and implementation of alternate collection services is available from their website at the following address:
	http://www.wrap.org.uk/local_authorities/toolkits_good_practice/alternate week_html.
	I have placed copies in the Library of the House.

Environment Agency: Equal Opportunities

David Lepper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how people with disabilities are being consulted in relation to the disability equality duty by the Environment Agency in the Southern Region.

Phil Woolas: National duties are placed on the Environment Agency by the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2005 that are not region specific. The Agency's national Disability Equality scheme and its associated action plan are available to the public on its website.
	As required by the DDA 2005, ongoing and widespread consultation with disabled people, staff and stakeholders in the development of this scheme has taken place. This included interviews and focus groups with staff from across the organisation. The consultation included staff from a range of backgrounds and levels in the Agency, and external organisations which represent the interests of disabled people.
	The Environment Agency views such consultation and engagement as essential to the development of the scheme and its continued progress.

Flood Control

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will assess the case for extension to other areas of the flood alleviation scheme in Scunthorpe constituency where money from the Rural Development Fund is used to reward farmers for using their land to retain water upstream from towns to prevent flood damage.

Phil Woolas: Environmental Stewardship, the agri-environment scheme funded through the Rural Development Programme, does not contain any measures specifically targeted at flood alleviation. Environmental Stewardship can support complimentary measures, such as the creation of water meadows, which could contribute towards flood management. Under the scheme, however, the primary objective of such measures would be the restoration of natural habitats and thereby biodiversity gain.
	Decisions about the targeting of Environmental Stewardship are taken through local consultation. Natural England takes the lead in discussions with stakeholders and delivery partners such as the Environment Agency.

Flood Control

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent meetings he has had with ministerial colleagues to discuss future flood prevention.

Phil Woolas: DEFRA Ministers have met with their counterparts at Treasury to discuss funding, in general and for flood risk management; at Communities and Local Government (CLG) to discuss planning issues in relation to flood risk; and at Treasury, CLG and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to discuss insurance in relation to flooding with the Association of British Insurers.
	Meetings continue to be held with CLG, Cabinet Office and a range of other interested Government Departments to discuss recovery from the recent floods and the lessons learned review into the causes, management and response.

Flood Control

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on flood defence schemes announced for construction in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The overall programme of flood and coastal erosion risk management works is prioritised on an annual basis in the light of demands on the system and the budget available.
	Operating authorities (the Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards) are required to produce annual Medium Term Plans (MTPs) setting out their proposed flood protection and prevention schemes for the following three years. As follows is a list of Environment Agency schemes that were shown on their 2005 MTP with a construction start in 2006-07 and with a construction spend in 2006-07 of greater than 250,000.
	Information on local authority and internal drainage board schemes is not held centrally and collating this information is likely to incur a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Project name  Environment Agency region  Current status 
			 Alconbury Anglian (Central) Construction on hold 
			 St. Neots Anglian (Central) In appraisalconstruction planned for 2008 
			 Felixstowe Coastal Defence Units 2, 3 and 4 Anglian (Eastern) In appraisalconstruction planned for 2008 
			 Happisburgh/Winterton Phase 3B Anglian (Eastern) In appraisalconstruction planned for 2008 
			 Easton Broad Anglian (Eastern) In appraisalconstruction planned for 2008-09 
			 Kessingland to Benacre Sea Defences Anglian (Eastern) Completed 
			 Humber East Halton Marshes/Skitter Anglian (Northern) In appraisalconstruction on hold 
			 Tidal Nene Stabilisation Anglian (Northern) In constructionplanned completion October 2007 
			 Grand Sluice Outfall Anglian (Northern) Completed 
			 Wisbech Defences Anglian (Northern) In designconstruction planned 2008 to 2010 
			 South Ferriby Sluice Refurbishment Anglian (Northern) Completed 
			 West Bridgford Midlands In constructionplanned completion March 2008 
			 Burton Phase 2 Midlands In constructionplanned completion March 2008 
			 Gainsborough Frontages Midlands Construction to start July 2007 
			 Keadby to Amcotts Midlands Completed 
			 River Eden/Petteril Flood Defences, Carlisle North West In constructionplanned completion October 2007 
			 Lower Lancaster phase 2St. George's Quay North West Construction planned for 2008-09 
			 ThorntonCleveleys North West In constructionplanned completion 2008 
			 River Alt North West In designconstruction planned for 2008 
			 Northenden Weir (River Mersey) North West Construction on hold subject to availability of funding 
			 St. Ives South West In constructionplanned completion March 2009 
			 BoscastleRiver Valency Phase 3 South West In constructionplanned completion in 2008 
			 Padstow Harbour South West In constructionplanned completion in 2007 
			 Ashburton South West In constructionplanned completion in 2009 
			 East Suttons to Denge Interim Beach Management 2006-07 Southern Completed 
			 Dartford Creek Frontage Thames In constructionplanned completion October 2007 
			 Willowbank Bund Repair Thames Completed 
			 Wandle Mills Culvert Thames On hold due to mapping requirements 
			 Bruton Dam Reservoir Improvements Wessex In designconstruction planned 2008-09 
			 Parrett Banks (Left Bank)the Croft Wessex Completed 
			 Parrett Banks at Silveys Wharf, Bridgwater Wessex Completed 
			 Ings Beck Yorkshire In appraisalconstruction planned 2007-08 
			 Burstwick Drain Yorkshire In appraisalconstruction planned 2007-08

Flood Control

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on flood protection measures in  (a) England,  (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and  (c) city of York in each year since 2003-04.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency is the principal authority with responsibility for flood risk management in England. Details of their spending on flood protection measures in  (a) England,  (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and  (c) city of York in each year since 2003-04 are set out in the following tables.
	 (a) Environment Agency spend in England.
	
		
			million 
			 2003-04 355.7 
			 2004-05 396.6 
			 2005-06 509.7 
			 2006-07 418.6 
		
	
	 (b) Environment Agency spend in the area covered by the Yorkshire Regional Flood Defence Committee (YRFDC).
	
		
			million 
			 2003-04 37.3 
			 2004-05 33.4 
			 2005-06 40.7 
			 2006-07 34.0 
		
	
	Yorkshire and the Humber is predominantly dealt with by YRFDC although some areas are also covered by the Agency's Anglian and Midlands regions.
	 (c) Environment Agency expenditure in the city of York.
	
		
			million 
			 2003-04 0.9 
			 2004-05 0.8 
			 2005-06 1.0 
			 2006-07 0.8 
		
	
	Further smaller sums are expended by local authorities and internal drainage boards.

Flood Control: Expenditure

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the expected total expenditure was when the scheme was approved of each  (a) capital and  (b) resource expenditure flood defence project (i) under way and (ii) completed in the last two years, at 2007 prices; and what the final total expenditure was or expenditure to date has been on each scheme at 2007 prices;
	(2)  what the expected total expenditure on each coastal defence project  (a) under way and  (b) completed in the last two years was when the scheme was approved, at 2007 prices; and what the final total or expenditure to date has been on each scheme at 2007 prices.

Phil Woolas: I regret that it is not possible to provide the information requested in the usual timescale given the date baseline. I shall write to you as soon as possible and a copy of my reply will be placed in the House Library.
	Over recent years, total investment in flood and coastal defence has increased significantly in real terms. For example, the Environment Agency completed 220 capital improvement projects to reduce flood risk from rivers and the sea between 2003-04 and 2006-07, and 129,000 households have benefited from this work.

Flood Control: South West Region

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been spent on flood defences in the South West region since 1997.

Phil Woolas: The following table shows (a) gross flood risk management expenditure by the Environment Agency in the South West Region, administered through their South West and Wessex Regional Flood Defence Committees and (b) DEFRA funding for local authority capital improvement projects to reduce flood and coastal erosion risk in the same area.
	(Many projects which protect against coastal erosion also provide significant benefits against flooding from the sea).
	
		
			  000 
			  Financial year  Environment Agency  Local authority 
			 1997-98 25,018 4,833 
			 1998-99 25,666 4,706 
			 1999-2000 21,897 3,730 
			 2000-01 23,670 3,164 
			 2001-02 30,606 2,455 
			 2002-03 39,377 8,288 
			 2003-04 42,102 10,993 
			 2004-05 39,093 5,607 
			 2005-06 50,170 23.376 
			 2006-07 48,890 20,615

Flood Control: Tewkesbury

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with  (a) local authorities and  (b) the Environment Agency on drawing up a list of buildings which house groups of vulnerable people to be prioritised for rescue when flooding occurs in Tewkesbury constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: Under central guidance on the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act, 2004, it is the responsibility of all the statutorily designated Category 1 responders, including local authorities, emergency services, primary care trusts and the Environment Agency to identify and make plans to assist vulnerable people in any emergency.

Flood Control: Yorkshire and Humberside

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent  (a) in England and  (b) in the Ouse catchment area on flood protection and alleviation measures by (i) the Government, (ii) City of York council and (iii) North Yorkshire county council in 2006-07; and what estimate he has made of the likely expenditure in 2007-08.

Phil Woolas: Defra funds most of the Environment Agency's flood related work and grant aids individual capital improvement projects undertaken by local authorities and, in low-lying areas, internal drainage boards (IDBs). The programme to manage risk is driven by these operating authorities. Defra does not build defences nor direct the authorities on specific projects to undertake.
	Local authority non-capital expenditure (on levies to the Agency and IDBs and on their own spend on flood risk management) is largely supported by the local government funding mechanisms operated by the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG).
	Table 1 shows total central and local government expenditure on flood protection and alleviation measures in  (a) England and  (b) the Ouse catchment area. This includes expenditure on flood defences, flood warning, research and development etc. but excludes expenditure on measures primarily to reduce risk of coastal erosion (which can also sometimes help reduce flood risk).
	
		
			  Table 1 
			( million) 
			   (a) England  (b) Ouse catchment( 1) 
			   Defra grant and other expenditure  Local authority non-capital expenditure  
			 2006-07 432.0 71.0 5.7 
			 2007-08 (Forecast) 466.0 74.0 6.4 
			 (1) Defined as Environment Agency expenditure within the Ouse catchment between the confluence with the River Ure and the confluence with the River Derwent. Defra grant to local authorities and/or internal drainage boards within the Ouse catchment, if any, could not be determined without incurring disproportionate cost. 
		
	
	Table 2 shows estimates of non-capital spend by City of York council on their own flood defence measures and on special levies to IDBs obtained from returns provided by the council to DCLG.
	
		
			  Table 2 
			  ( million) 
			   Flood defence revenue expenditure  IDB special levies 
			 2006-07 0.1 0.5 
			 2007-08 0.1 0.6 
		
	
	We have no records of spend by North Yorkshire county council in the years in question.

Floods

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 10W, how his Department defines significant flooding.

Phil Woolas: The Common Incident Classification Scheme is the standard Environment Agency approach for the classification of all incidents, including flooding.
	Significant flooding (Major Incident) is normally declared when 10 or more properties flood.

Floods: Damage

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether a full assessment is planned of the damage caused by the recent floods in England;
	(2)  if he will establish an independent inquiry into the recent floods in the north of England;
	(3)  what assistance is available to farmers to compensate for their loss of crops in flood-affected areas;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent flooding in the East Riding of Yorkshire on farmers; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what plans he has to assist farmers in the East Riding of Yorkshire who have been affected by the recent flooding; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Members to the statement given by the Secretary of State on 12 July 2007;  Official Report, column 63WS, in which he announced that we are establishing a review to identify the lessons that need to be learned about how to manage and respond to this type of event in the future.
	I also refer the hon. Members to the answer given by the Secretary of State of 19 July 2007,  Official Repor t, column 422, in which he explained that we have lifted the rules on cross-compliance and waterlogged land until the end of this month. This will enable farmers to get on to the land and do what they can to rescue their crops. By notifying the Rural Payments Agency, they are able to use set-aside land for grazing and foraging, unless the agency says there is a difficulty, in recognition of the fact that the land they would otherwise use is currently underwater.
	Compensation will not be available for farmers who have lost crops as a result of the recent flooding. Farmers who have taken out insurance for such damage should, of course, make a claim against their policy. We have great sympathy for those who are uninsured but there is no general right to compensation, since that would undermine the decision of those who did take out insurance and in the longer term undermine the competitive insurance market in this area that the UK currently benefits from. The Government are keen to help farmers manage risk more thoroughly themselves as part of establishing a more market focused farm industry.

Floods: Housing

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many homes there are  (a) in designated development sites in each standard region,  (b) in such sites that are situated in floodplains and  (c) in such sites in significant flood risk areas; and if he will make a statement.

Iain Wright: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) on 8 January 2007,  Official Report, column 369W, and the answer I provided on 24 July 2007,  Official Report, column 945W.

Floods: Housing

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received from the insurance industry on the number of homes considered to be uninsurable due to high risk of flooding; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Association of British Insurers (ABI) wrote to the Secretary of State on 28 June. In their letter, the ABI stressed that insurers want to continue offering cover to nearly all households, but highlighted concerns about the level of risk for at least 400,000 homes in England. The letter reiterated calls for investment in flood management to rise to 750 million per annum by 2011 and the ABI has since welcomed the announcement that Government funding will increase beyond this levelto 800 million by 2010-11.
	Along with other ministerial colleagues, I met representatives of the ABI on 10 July to discuss the implications of the flooding that occurred in June. At the meeting, the ABI stressed its commitment to the existing Statement of Principles for insurance cover and, in particular, the continuing availability of cover in high-risk locations where defences are planned. Officials are continuing to share information and work with the ABI, and we understand that ABI members are continuing to provide flood cover as standard to virtually all households.

Floods: Warnings

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the procedure is for signing up to receive flood warnings from the Environment Agency; and whether it is free to use.

Phil Woolas: Anyone who thinks they may be at risk of flooding can call the Environment Agency's Floodline to find out if they are eligible to register for free flood warnings. Flood warnings can be received by telephone, mobile, fax or pager.
	320,887 such warnings were issued by the Environment Agency between 1 June 2007 and 24 July 2007.

Floods: Warnings

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has received on recruiting voluntary wardens to distribute flood warnings in person.

Phil Woolas: The Secretary of State for the Environment is not aware of any representations on recruiting voluntary wardens to distribute flood warnings in person. However, the Department is aware of many volunteer schemes that contribute a very important part of flood resilience activity.
	While the Environment Agency encourages the recruitment of voluntary flood wardens, it does not use flood wardens to distribute flood warnings.

Floods: Warnings

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the reliability of automatic flood warning systems via  (a) landline,  (b) answer phone to a landline and  (c) mobile phone.

Phil Woolas: Floodline Warnings Direct (FWD) remains 100 per cent. operational. FWD sent over 50,000 messages to landlines and mobile phones between 25 June and 2 July. 84 per cent. of calls made to properties via landlines were answered. This includes calls answered by answer phones. 88 per cent. of calls made to mobile phones were answered, including calls answered by the messaging service.
	Under FWD, faxes, pagers and emails are also used.

Forestry: Finance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to increase the funding for new woodland creations and new woodland management under the English Woodland Grant Scheme.

Joan Ruddock: The Forestry Commission published its 2007 Grant Prospectus in May. This includes the allocation of 4.885 million to new Woodland Creation Grant agreements, for payment in financial year 2008-09.
	Future funding for woodland creation will be largely determined by the Rural Development Plan for England 2007-13, which is still subject to EU Commission approval. In addition the outcome of CSR 07 and the delivery plan for the recently published Strategy for England's Trees, Woods and Forests, which is being prepared by the Forestry Commission and Natural England may affect funding.

Industrial Wastes

Rob Marris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  on what date he expects the final version of the Quality Protocol for Pulverised Fuel Ash to be published;
	(2)  on what date the consultation on the draft Quality Protocol for Pulverised Fuel Ash will end;
	(3)  which bodies will be consulted about the draft Quality Protocol for Pulverised Fuel Ash; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  on what date the consultation on the draft Quality Protocol for Pulverised Fuel Ash will begin.

Joan Ruddock: It is anticipated that a public consultation on the Quality Protocol for Pulverised Fuel Ash will be launched by 28 September 2007. The consultation period will last 12 weeks in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance and, if released on schedule, will therefore end around 28 December 2007.
	A list of consultees has not yet been drafted. However a Technical Advisory Group, which included industry members, drafted the initial Technical Report upon which the Quality Protocol will be based. The Environment Agency intend the consultation to reach widely across industry by direct invite as well as publication through the trade press.
	A date for final publication of the Quality Protocol for Pulverised Fuel Ash has not been set, as it will be dependent upon the level and type of responses received from the consultation. It is anticipated that revision of the Quality Protocol, formatting and publication would take around 12 weeks. This would give a notional publication date of around 28 March 2008.

Nature Conservation: Squirrels

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what liaison there is between the Agriculture Department of the Scottish Executive and his Department's officers in England to ensure the maximum level of protection for red squirrels.

Joan Ruddock: The UK Red Squirrel Group (UKRSG), supported by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), is the main liaison mechanism to support delivery of the red squirrel species action plan.
	Membership of the UKRSG includes representatives of the country groups (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), the UK Government, the devolved Administrations and their relevant conservation agencies, the Forestry Commission, and representatives of the voluntary sector (The Wildlife Trusts).
	The red squirrel conservation officers in Northumberland, Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders meet frequently and seek to co-ordinate grey squirrel control efforts either side of the Scottish border to help protect the red squirrel.

Nature Conservation: Squirrels

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make funding available for the protection of red squirrels in England and, in selected areas, the eradication of grey squirrels.

Joan Ruddock: The Forestry Commission's English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) offers support for red squirrel conservation targeted on the 16 designated red squirrel reserves. Over the last 12 months, EWGS has paid out 71,000 in the North-East with another 70,000 available for the 2008-09 period. In addition EWGS can support the control of grey squirrel in areas of 'critical threat' as defined in 'Grey Squirrel and England's Woodlands: Policy and Action', which was published on 22 January 2006. The Forestry Commission is also putting 26,000 a year into the Save our Squirrels project in Northern England. Natural England is also contributing 15,000 a year to this project.
	We will keep the policy in this area under review, and assess future funding according to priorities.

Office of Climate Change

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the terms of reference are of the Office of Climate Change; what work it has undertaken; and what further work is planned.

Phil Woolas: The Office of Climate Change (OCC) was set up to:
	programme manage existing climate change commitments;
	consolidate analysis and provide co-ordination between Departments;
	run policy projects to tackle the most difficult cross-cutting issues; and,
	be an advocate for climate change issues across Government.
	The OCC is a shared resource for Defra, BERR, DFID, FCO, DfT and CLG. It is jointly funded and governed by these Departments.
	So far, the OCC has completed work on the following projects:
	an audit of UK action on climate change, and the implications of the Stern Review for the UK;
	drafting of the Climate Change Bill, which has now been passed to Defra for its passage through Parliament;
	work with Defra and DTI to develop a draft Aviation Offsetting standard, which will help consumers have greater confidence in carbon offsetting programmes; and,
	development of a UK position on how the EU emissions trading scheme should work after 2012.
	The OCC has ongoing projects in the following areas:
	assessment of the Global Carbon Finance flows required to support developing countries in moving towards low carbon economies;
	developing policy options for reducing emissions from heating and cooling of buildings; and
	assessment of UK institutional arrangements and their ability to support our domestic goals.

Office of Climate Change: Finance

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the budget is of the Office of Climate Change for 2007-08; and what budget is planned for future years.

Phil Woolas: The Office of Climate Change has total spending plans of 3.5 million for the year 2007-08. The budget for future years has not yet been agreed but it is likely to remain at roughly the same level.

Pest Control: Squirrels

David Maclean: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research is being undertaken by his Department on the control of grey squirrels.

Joan Ruddock: Methods to control grey squirrels are well known and have been published as Best Practice Guidance by the Forestry Commission (FC). The methods advocated are usually effective in reducing populations if used at sufficient intensity, and where there is a high level of support for control by landowners and the public. This has been demonstrated by the successful 10 year project to control grey squirrels on Anglesey.
	Alternative non-lethal methods to control wild populations of animals are being investigated, such as the use of immuno-contraception vaccines. The FC and DEFRA are collaborating on the application of this method for grey squirrel control with partnership funding from DEFRA, FC and Scottish Natural Heritage. However, it is likely that immuno-contraception will not, at least in the short to medium term, be a viable option for grey squirrels. Even if a suitable vaccine is found, there will still be a challenge to establish how to deliver it to grey squirrels without affecting other wildlife, especially the red squirrel.

Radio: Waste Disposal

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the potential environmental impact of a switch from analogue to digital radio in terms of the  (a) disposal of analogue radio receivers,  (b) the (i) manufacture and (ii) energy consumption of digital radio receivers and  (c) energy consumption of digital radio receivers; and what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on these matters.

Joan Ruddock: The Government do not currently have any plans to switch off analogue radio transmissions. However, we are aware that there is a growing market for digital radio receivers.
	The Government Market Transformation Programme (MTP) works with manufacturers, retailers and other stakeholders to seek to bring forward more sustainable products. We are currently working with retailers to seek voluntary commitments from them to improve the energy efficiency of the consumer electronic products they procure and sell.
	The MTP has tested a limited number of digital radio receivers. The average energy needed to operate the radios tested was around 8.5 watts. A typical traditional analogue radio requires 2 watts.
	The Government has made no assessment of the environmental impact of the disposal of analogue radios nor of the manufacture of digital radios. However, like most other electrical appliances both will need to be disposed of in compliance with the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations, which from 1 July require producers (or third parties acting on their behalf) to finance systems to provide for the collection, treatment, recovery and environmentally sound disposal of WEEE.
	No discussions have been held with the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport on these matters.

Radioactive Wastes: Waste Management

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to finalise the appointment of the members of the reconstituted Committee on Radioactive Waste Management.

Phil Woolas: It is planned that the reconstituted Committee on Radioactive Waste Management will be in place from autumn 2007.
	Sponsor Ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the devolved administrations appointed Professor Robert Pickard as Chair Designate of the reconstituted Committee on Wednesday 18 July.
	Professor Pickard's appointment was made in accordance with the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA) Code of Practice and he will become full Chair following appointment of up to 14 committee members in the early autumn. As Chair Designate, Professor Pickard will now play a part in the appointment of the members.

Recycling: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the provision of community recycling centres in Coventry.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 19 July 2007
	No specific assessment has been made by my Department on the provision of community recycling centres in Coventry.
	The Environmental Protection Act 1990 places an obligation on waste disposal authorities to provide places at which residents in the area may deposit their household waste. Provision of such facilities would be a matter for the relevant local authority.

Recycling: Government Departments

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of waste from central Government buildings is recycled.

Joan Ruddock: The percentage of waste that is recycled from central Government buildings is published in the annual Sustainable Development in Government Reports. The last report, published by the Sustainable Development Commission, was for 2005-06. It reports a recycling rate across the Government estate of 50 per cent. The report is available at:
	http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/sdig2006/

Recycling: Government Departments

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to increase the percentage of waste from central Government buildings that is recycled by 2010.

Joan Ruddock: Central Government Departments are required to meet cross-Government sustainable operations targets, launched in June 2006, which include commitments to reduce waste arisings and to increase recycling rates. The report is available at:
	http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/sdig2006/

Recycling: Greater London

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the percentage rate of  (a) household recycling and  (b) household composting was in each London borough in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Joan Ruddock: Household recycling and composting rates achieved by each London borough in 2005-06 are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Authority  Recycling  (BVa)  Composting  (BVb)  Total  (BVa+b) 
			 Barking and Dagenham 12.18 4.42 16.6 
			 Barnet 17.98 9.49 27.47 
			 Bexley 21.5 16.21 37.71 
			 Brent 10.89 9.12 20.01 
			 Bromley 22.79 4.46 27.25 
			 Camden 22.24 4.9 27.14 
			 City of London 18.1 0 18.1 
			 City of Westminster 17.79 0.5 18.29 
			 Croydon 12.99 3.18 16.17 
			 Ealing 15.36 3.92 19.28 
			 East London WA 11.21 4.04 15.25 
			 Enfield 16.92 10.37 27.29 
			 Greenwich 18.16 3.5 21.66 
			 Hackney 11.84 4.37 16.21 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 21 0.49 21.49 
			 Haringey 16.08 3.15 19.23 
			 Harrow 13.66 13.04 26.7 
			 Havering 11.85 5.96 17.81 
			 Hillingdon 16.3 11.4 27.7 
			 Hounslow 15.74 3.51 19.25 
			 Islington 15.7 2.59 18.29 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 19.29 0.65 19.94 
			 Kingston upon Thames 17.41 6.56 23.97 
			 Lambeth 18.96 3.19 22.15 
			 Lewisham 11.96 0.24 12.2 
			 Merton 19.35 3.24 22.59 
			 Newham 8.63 1.5 10.13 
			 North London WA 15.27 5.62 20.89 
			 Redbridge 12.79 4.55 17.34 
			 Richmond upon Thames 21.06 7.53 28.59 
			 Southwark 11.55 3.41 14.96 
			 Sutton 20.21 8.86 29.07 
			 Tower Hamlets 8.85 0 8.85 
			 Waltham Forest 13.44 8.41 21.85 
			 Wandsworth 20.63 0.33 20.96 
			 West London WA 15.91 8.68 24.59 
			 Western Riverside WA 20.2 1.83 22.03

Recycling: Standards

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to increase recycling rates.

Joan Ruddock: Recycling is strongly promoted by a range of Government policies. Measures to increase the levels of recycling and composting are outlined in the Waste Strategy for England 2007, published by my Department on the 24 May. Copies of the strategy can be found in the Library of the House and on the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/strategy/strategy07/pdf/waste07-strategy.pdf

Recycling: Toner Cartridges

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to implement measures which will increase the recycling of printer cartridges.

Joan Ruddock: DEFRA does not have any current plans to introduce measures to specifically increase printer cartridge recycling. A number of businesses and charitable organisations already collect printer cartridges for reuse and recycling. This option is often cheaper than purchasing a new unit.

Recycling: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of waste collected in city of York was recycled in each year since 2003-04; what financial assistance was provided by the Government to York for recycling in that period; and what steps the Government have taken to encourage local authorities to increase recycling rates.

Joan Ruddock: Recycling and composting of household waste has doubled in the past four years and more than tripled in the past eight years. Government support for, and engagement with, the poorest performing local authorities, challenging national and local targets and the escalating landfill tax are all helping authorities drive forward even higher recycling rates.
	The Audit Commission's Best Value Performance Indicators show household waste recycled or composted by York city council was 15.43 per cent. in 2003-04; 17.77 per cent. in 2004-05; and 24.08 per cent. in 2005-06.
	The main source of funding for local authorities' waste management services is the environmental, protective and cultural services (EPCS) block of Government grant, distributed each year. It is for the local authorities to decide what proportion of the block to invest in waste management services, including recycling. Specific funding awarded from 2003-04 onwards to York city council, available for it to use on improving its recycling services, is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Funding type  Funding amount ()  Funding description  Start date  End date 
			 Local Authority Support Unit Direct Consultancy Service 36,015 Partnership Development 1 April 2004 31 March 2005 
			  
			 National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fund (Round 3) 350,000 Household Waste Recycling Centre Development 1 April 2004 31 March 2006 
			  
			 Grant to relieve spending pressures on waste 50,735 Share of 20 million to all local authorities in England in recognition of the need to spend on waste management 1 April 2004 31 March 2005 
			  
			 Waste and Performance Efficiency Grant (WPEG) 145,790 Capital: 82,006.62 1 April 2005 31 March 2006 
			   Revenue: 63,782.92   
			  
			 Local Authority Support Unit Direct Consultancy Support 72,182 York and North Yorkshire Waste Management Partnership (YNYWMP) and Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy (JMWMS)revision and development 1 April 2005 31 March 2006 
			  
			 Household Incentives 23,400 Four incentive pilots for a six month period starting October 2005. All authorities run the first two pilots but can elect to undertake a third and fourth. 1 April 2005 31 March 2006 
			  
			 Local Authority Support Unit Direct Consultancy Support 99,832 Waste Composition Study 1 April 2006 31 March 2008 
			  
			 Waste and Performance Efficiency Grant (WPEG) 387,705 Capital: 193,852 1 April 2006 31 March 2007 
			   Revenue: 193,852   
			  
			 Waste and Performance Efficiency Grant (WPEG) 406,075 Capital: 203,037 1 April 2007 31 March 2008 
			   Revenue: 203,037   
		
	
	York city council also received free guidance and support during this time, including from the Waste and Resources Action Programme's ROTATE programme. ROTATE is a free advisory service which supports local authorities' kerbside collection and local communications and awareness programmes.

Recycling: Yorkshire and Humberside

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of waste was recycled in each local authority in Yorkshire and the Humber in each year since 2004-05.

Joan Ruddock: The Audit Commission's Best Value Performance Indicators for household recycling and composting rates for 2004-05 and 2005-06 achieved by each local authority in the Yorkshire and Humber region are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2004-05  2005-06 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 18.77 24.76 
			 Kingston upon Hull 13.28 18.05 
			 North East Lincolnshire 21.18 23.68 
			 North Lincolnshire 24.09 25.77 
			 York City 17.77 24.08 
			 Selby 14.71 26.73 
			 Scarborough 14.87 18.67 
			 Ryedale 25.40 42.77 
			 Richmondshire 11.99 22.67 
			 Harrogate 15.63 21.92 
			 Hambleton 34.52 39.87 
			 Craven 21.41 27.04 
			 North Yorkshire County 21.98 30.19 
			 Sheffield 17.14 21.17 
			 Rotherham 21.00 22.43 
			 Doncaster 18.24 19.55 
			 Barnsley 17.68 19.9 
			 Leeds 19.56 21.33 
			 Kirklees 16.23 21.06 
			 Wakefield City 21.27 21.99 
			 Bradford City 16.73 18.55 
			 Calderdale 17.05 20.35

Refrigerators: Energy

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the energy efficiency of mini-fridges; and what assessment he has made of the merits of placing restrictions on their sale in the UK.

Joan Ruddock: The Government Market Transformation Programme (MTP) works with manufacturers and other stakeholders to seek to bring forward more sustainable products and has worked with the domestic refrigeration industry in both the UK and abroad to significantly improve the energy efficiency of these appliances over the past 10 to 15 years.
	While no specific assessment has been made of mini-fridges we are aware that an increasing number of these appliances are being purchased. However, as a member of the European Single Market the UK, nor any other member state, cannot place restrictions on the sale of appliances on the basis of their energy efficiency alone. Such actions need to be taken by member states acting together.
	The Eco-Design for Energy Using Products (EUP) framework directive provides a forum for considering options and priorities for establishing energy efficiency standards for energy using products. Domestic refrigeration products have been identified as priority for action and the Commission expects to bring forward proposals in this area early next year.

Severn Barrage: Flood Control

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the potential environmental impact of the proposed Severn Barrage project, with particular reference to flood protection upstream.

Phil Woolas: A Severn Barrage scheme could make a major contribution towards the supply of renewable electricity, potentially delivering up to 5 per cent. of the UK's electricity needs.
	However, construction of a barrage would have a major impact on the unique hyper-tidal nature of the estuary. Some areas of saltmarsh as well as intertidal mudflats and sandflats at the banks of the Severn would be lost. Wildlife, including waders and wildfowl, and migratory fish stocks such as salmon and sea trout would be affected.
	The construction of a barrage would also have an impact on local flood management plans. The precise implications of a barrage scheme would depend on its location, the detail of its operating regimes and, in particular, the extent to which tidal water was permitted to enter the Severn.
	A major study on tidal power in the UK, led by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC), is currently under way. Part of the study is looking at the consequences of building a barrage across the Severn estuary and the social, environmental and economic impacts involved, including the implications for flood management. We will carefully consider the results of this work, which should be available at the end of September, before any decisions are taken.

Water Demand: Showers

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will estimate the impact on per capita demand for water within households of the use of power showers.

Phil Woolas: The Government's Market Transformation Programme (MTP) will shortly be setting out, for public consultation, the Government's current evidence and analysis on showers. This consultation is part of a wider annual review and policy development process, supporting delivery of the Government's objectives for energy, water and for sustainable consumption and production.
	The paper includes indicative targets and eco-design standards for showers which are sold and used in the UK. The MTP work indicates that if no new policy actions are taken, and current underlying trends continue, water consumption by showers is expected to rise by 48 per cent. by 2020 compared to the 2006 baseline. The policy actions proposed in the document show how this projected increase can be constrained.

Water Demand: Domestic Swimming Pools

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of  (a) the impact of trends in the numbers of swimming pools, jacuzzis and other water spa pools and decorative water features and ponds within the home and garden on per capita demand for water within individual households over the last 10 years and  (b) the likely impact of such trends over the next 10 years.

Phil Woolas: The Market Transformation Programme (MTP) allows us to assess the impact of a range of products on water use, including toilets, taps, showers and baths. The MTP is also undertaking a scoping study to determine which other products use significant amounts of water. This will include an assessment of the amount of water consumption associated with swimming pools, hot tubs and spa baths. There is currently no evidence to show that ornamental garden water features involve significant levels of water consumption.

Water Supply: Tewkesbury and Gloucestershire

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has held with Severn Trent on restoring water supplies to households in the Tewkesbury constituency; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with Severn Trent on securing extra supplies of bowsers to provide emergency water supplies to people in Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: My Department is in close contact with Severn Trent Water about the restoration of piped water supplies, the provision of alternative supplies from bowsers, street based water tanks and the distribution of bottled water. We are helping to ensure the availability of extra bowsers and tanks where necessary. Work is under way at Mythe Water Treatment Works to enable mains water to be restored to 140,000 homes in Tewkesbury, Gloucester and Cheltenham. My officials are closely monitoring the situation.

Water: Conservation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department and its agencies have spent on  (a) advertising and other promotion,  (b) grants for households and  (c) research to promote more efficient use of water in the household since 1997.

Phil Woolas: The Water Industry Act 1991 places a duty on water companies in England and Wales to promote the efficient use of water to their customers. This can include the distribution of free water saving devices and publicity and information on the efficient use of water.
	Advice to customers is made available on websites and through articles in publications and the Environment Agency's Water Efficiency Awards. Efficient use of hot water also features in the current DEFRA Act on CO2 campaign.
	Since 1997 the Department and the Environment Agency have spent an estimated 2.5 million combined on research directly or indirectly related to the efficient use of water in households.
	The DEFRA-led Water Saving Group is formed by the key water industry stakeholders and was established in October 2005 to develop practical ways to promote the efficient use of water in households. Its action plan includes a workstream led by the Consumer Council for Water on 'Understanding and changing customers' perceptions and raising awareness'.

Water: Conservation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the reasons for recent trends in the per capita demand for water in households.

Phil Woolas: Ofwat publish per capita consumption (pcc) figures annually in their security of supply, leakage and water efficiency report, a copy of which is available in the library of the House. It is thought that between 1960 and 1995 pcc rose by about 1 per cent. per year. Since 1995 Ofwat report that pcc has been relatively stable. Variations occur between years, and at regional levels, which reflect influences on consumption such as climate variations, the number of metered customers and restrictions on usage.
	DEFRA's Market Transformation Programme (MTP) presents scenario data on future water consumption in the domestic sector. This work includes the production of policy briefs and briefing notes on key products which include water demand forecasting models and related action plans. Actual consumption is influenced by both the standard of products and the water using behaviours of consumers.

Water: Conservation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what  (a) research his Department has undertaken into and  (b) support his Department has given to the development of water saving products.

Phil Woolas: DEFRA's Market Transformation Programme (MTP) presents scenario data on future water consumption in the domestic sector. This work includes the production of policy briefs and briefing notes which include water demand forecasting models and related action plans. MTP also undertakes research to support the evidence base for key water using products.
	In 2003 the Government launched the Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) scheme for water efficient technologies, which provides accelerated tax relief to businesses investing in designated sustainable water technologies. These are listed on the ECA website and provide a list of proven water saving technologies that can be accessed by businesses and the public alike. The ECA scheme provides a financial incentive for businesses to invest in sustainable water technologies and also encourages innovation for the development of more environmentally beneficial technologies.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

BBC: Middle East

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make it his policy to request the BBC to publish the Balen report.

James Purnell: No. The decision on whether to release the Balen report is a matter for the BBC.

Commonwealth Games: Glasgow

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether there are any plans to transfer the association right if Glasgow wins the right to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I understand that the Scottish Executive is in discussion with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills about association rights for a Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, should it win the right to host them. DCMS is not involved in this matter.

Departments: Correspondence

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when his Department plans to answer the letter sent to it by the Federation of Racecourse Bookmakers on 31 May.

Gerry Sutcliffe: A response has been sent today.

Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisors

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the name is of each special adviser in his Department.

James Purnell: I have not yet appointed special advisers.

Digital Broadcasting

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guarantees Ofcom has given to major broadcasters on access to the digital interleaved spectrum; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The matter raised is the responsibility of the Office of Communications (Ofcom), as independent regulator for the communications sector. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to my right hon. Friend. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Flags: Scotland

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his exhortation to fly the Union flag over public buildings extends to public buildings in Scotland.

James Purnell: The Prime Minister's suggestion to fly the Union Flag over public buildings extends to Government buildings in Scotland. Flag flying at Scottish Executive and Scottish Parliament buildings is a matter for those bodies.

Football: World Cup

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what budget has been agreed for the new Government ambassador for the 2018 Football World Cup bid; and from which Department's budget it will come;
	(2)  what support will be provided from the public purse to the new Government ambassador for the 2018 Football World Cup bid.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Bidding to host a future World Cup is not a decision for Government but for the relevant football authority. The Department is committed to supporting viable bids to host major events in the UK and has made up to 50,000 available to provide staff support and travel expenses to the Prime Minister's World Cup ambassador until the end of the calendar year; the British Council has provided office space.

Football: World Cup

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions took place with the Football Association prior to the announcement of the new Government ambassador for the 2018 World Cup bid.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Football Association was given prior notification of the Prime Minister's intention to make this appointment.

Leisure: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department has spent on sport and culture in  (a) Southampton and  (b) Hampshire since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The main body of this answer deals with Exchequer funds routed via DCMS. It does not include funding for cultural or sporting activities delivered via local authorities and funded via other Government Departments. Lottery funds, awarded by Lottery distributing bodies independently of the Department, are included for completeness and addressed separately at the end of this answer.
	 Sport
	Financial support for sport from public sources is primarily channelled through Sport England and UK Sport, the two DCMS sponsored bodies which dispense Exchequer and Lottery funds for sport from DCMS, in line with their own policies and priorities for the development of sport.
	Sport England has distributed the following amounts of Exchequer funding to Southampton and Hampshire in the period since 1997 to support and promote sporting activities and projects:
	Southampton: 529,600
	Hampshire: 983,542
	It is not possible for UK Sport to determine an amount of Exchequer funding allocated to Southampton and Hampshire as its funding is not directed to specific counties or regions.
	 Culture
	Arts Council England has made the following awards from Exchequer funding:
	
		
			  000 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Southampton 995 1,202 1,258 1,100 982 
			 Hampshire 712 915 923 1,294 1,007 
		
	
	Due to a merger between the Arts Council and Regional arts boards in 2002-03, previous figures are not readily available. As Southampton is a unitary authority, funding for the authority is excluded from the Hampshire totals.
	 Culture: Museums and Libraries
	It is not possible to provide a complete financial breakdown at the county or District level for all aspects of expenditure by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. This includes the Renaissance in the Regions programme for museums, which focuses on need and impact at the regional level, where the South East Regional Hub (with Hampshire County Museums Service as lead partner) has received:
	
		
			   
			  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 10,000 260,000 908,000 1,548,000 1,932,000 4,394,000 
		
	
	However to date, museums in Southampton have directly benefited from 207,144 of Renaissance investment in their collections of national significance and similarly museums within the county boundary of Hampshire, including Southampton, have received 1,351,453.
	 Heritage
	The following grants were offered by English Heritage between 1 April 1997 to date:
	1. Southampton - total of 2,651,864 offered (53 cases)
	2. Hampshire - total of 296,807 offered (five cases).
	The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme has made grants totalling 8,075,710.50 to the South East region since 2001, but further disaggregation is not possible without incurring disproportionate cost.
	 National Lottery funding (non-Exchequer)
	The following totals have been provided by National Lottery Distributors, and are not Exchequer funds:
	
		
			   
			  Lottery awards (total) 
			  Region  
			 Southampton 40,522,308 
			 Hampshire 60,921,923 
			 Total 101,444,231 
		
	
	 National Lottery: via Sport England
	
		
			  000 
			   Southampton  Hampshire 
			 1996-97 513 5,780 
			 1997-98 89 2,229 
			 1998-99 295 1,599 
			 1999-2000 17 251 
			 2000-01 329 394 
			 2001-02 6,227 937 
			 2002-03 251 511 
			 2003-04 64 966 
			 2004-05 232 1,451 
			 2005-06 291 1,416 
			 2006-07 143 1,373 
		
	
	 National Lottery: via Heritage Lottery Fund
	Since 1997, the Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded over 13,563,664 to more than 98 heritage projects in Southampton, and awarded over 43,345,844, to more than 455 heritage projects in the county of Hampshire.
	 National Lottery: via the UK Film Council
	The UKFC Film Council has awarded the following (up to 30 June 2007).
	
		
			   
			  (a) Southampton (local authority area): 
			  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  Total 
			  66 9,250 1,967 10,500 2,708  24,491 
		
	
	
		
			   
			  (b) Hampshire (county area): 
			  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  Total 
			 289,242 101,377 98,386 26,329 20,150 34,317 830 570,631

Licensing Act: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licences issued under the Licensing Act 2003 have since been revoked in each London borough.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We do not hold this information centrally. The Licensing Act 2003 devolved the administration for licensing to individual licensing authorities who should hold information about licensed premises in their area.
	DCMS is currently collecting information about licensed premises and applications under the Licensing Act 2003 for a new National Statistics bulletin. Data are scheduled to be released in October 2007 on the DCMS website.
	Broad estimates collated by the Department in November 2006, based on a small sample of licensing authorities, suggested that following review, approximately 100 licences had been revoked across England and Wales in the first year under the new Licensing Act.

Licensing Laws

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licence applications were  (a) granted and  (b) rejected in each local authority area for (i) late night takeaway premises, (ii) public houses and (iii) clubs between 1999 and the commencement of the Licensing Act 2003.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We do not hold this information centrally.
	Information about the number of applications for liquor licenses in England and Wales under the previous licensing regime is available in the Liquor Licensing Statistical Bulletin series. The bulletins published in 2000 and 2004 are available on the DCMS website:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/Research/statistics_outputs/liquor_licensing_statistics
	The 2004 bulletin showed that there were just over 5,000 new applications for on-licences and about 2,950 new applications for off-licences in the year to June 2004. In both cases over 19 of every 20 applications were granted.

Licensing Laws

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licence applications have been  (a) granted and  (b) rejected in each local authority area for (i) late night takeaway premises, (ii) public houses and (iii) clubs since the commencement of the Licensing Act 2003.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We do not hold this information centrally.
	The Licensing Act 2003 devolved the administration for licensing to individual licensing authorities who should hold information about licensed premises in their area.
	DCMS is currently collecting information about licensed premises and applications under the Licensing Act 2003 for a new National Statistics bulletin. Data are scheduled to be released in October 2007 on the DCMS website.

Licensing Laws

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what percentage of licence applications have been granted in each local authority area for  (a) late night takeaway premises,  (b) public houses and  (c) clubs against police advice since the commencement of the Licensing Act 2003.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We do not hold this information centrally.

Lilleshall National Sports Centre

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for the future of Lilleshall National Sports Centre; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England is working with key stakeholders to develop proposals for the management of Lilleshall from April 2009, when the current management contract expires, and a strategy that offers a stronger, sustainable long-term future for the site.

Mass Media: Politics and Government

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will hold discussions with the BBC and other media organisations on the potential use of their public interest role to further the debate launched by the Prime Minister on democratic reform; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The Government are keen to ensure that as many people as possible throughout the United Kingdom are involved in the debate on democratic renewal. Broadcasters and other media organisations are, of course, independent of Government. My right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice is considering the consultation process.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 15 June 2007, DCMS ref: 72199.

James Purnell: The hon. Member's letter of 15 June was addressed to my predecessor and I replied on 23 July, reference CMS 72199.

Museums and Galleries: West Midlands and Herefordshire

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  whether funding for Renaissance in the West Midlands is planned to be continued following the Comprehensive Spending Review;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of Renaissance funding on museums in  (a) Hereford and  (b) Leominster.

James Purnell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism (Margaret Hodge) gave him on 19 July 2007,  Official Report, column 479W.
	Museums in Hereford and Leominister have received support from the Renaissance programme at the regional level in respect of: making grant and lottery applications; training and skills development; conservation and environmental monitoring; audience development work; improvements to facilities; and purchase of equipment.
	Future Funding for the Renaissance in the Regions Programme and all other departmental expenditure is under consideration in the context of the spending review.

National Lottery: Play

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what projects have been funded under the Big Lottery Fund children's play initiative.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The projects listed have been funded under Children's Play.
	 Children's PlayProjects Awarded
	Adur's Local Community Improvement Play Projects for Children and Young People
	Play Around Alnwick District
	Making Play Matter in Ashfield
	Go4Play in Ashford
	Promoting Positive Play Opportunities for All
	More free play provision in Bath and North East Somerset
	Blackburn and Darwen PlayImproving Access and Play Opportunities
	Blackpool's Children's Play Portfolio
	Bolton's Targeted Approach to Children's Play
	OUR SPACE IN POOLE
	Our Space in Bournemouth
	The Big Brent Play Portfolio
	Brighton and Hove City Council BIG Play Programme Portfolio
	Bristol City CouncilPlaying for Real
	All To Play For In Broxtowe
	bury@play
	Canterbury Play Areas and Activities
	Charnwood at Play
	Communities at Play
	Play Well in Cherwell
	Chiltern Area Play Portfolio
	Able To Play
	Bradford's All To Play For
	Your Time, Your Space
	Play in the CityBringing Free Play to City Residents
	Isles of Scilly Community Play Facility
	'Something to do'Improving Play Opportunities in Coventry
	Crewe and Nantwich At Play
	Strategic Play Facilities in Ashbourne and Bakewell
	Dover District Strategic Play Areas and Skate Park
	The Dudley Children's Play InitiativeJust Enjoy
	The East Cambridgeshire Better Play Project
	East Devon Rural Play
	Lots of Play Keeps the Doctor Away (LPD)
	Experience Your World
	Freedom to Play in Ellesmere Port and Neston
	Epsom and Ewell's Big Lottery Portfolio For Play
	ExeterFree Play City
	GO APE (Adventure Playground Environments) in Gateshead
	Making Play Matter in Gedling
	Playful Spaces
	Play Enhancements in Gravesham (PEG)
	Great YarmouthImproving Play Opportunities For All
	Make Way for Play
	Land, Sea and Tree
	Time to Discover, Space to Develop, Free to have Fun
	Kettering Borough Council: Big Lottery Children's Play Programme
	Improving Adventure Play Provision
	'HullThe Play Friendly City'
	Parts of Play
	Play In Liverpool
	The Bexley Children and Young People's Play and Activity Programme
	Play 4 All in Croydon
	Additional play opportunities for children experiencing disadvantage in Ealing
	Play Is Here To Stay!
	HarrowImproving access to play
	Making It Happen For Children and Young People in Lewisham
	Unfolding Play Opportunities in Waltham Forest
	Macclesfield Borough: Giving Every Child Every Opportunity To Play
	Malvern Hills District Play
	Enjoy Manchester
	Medway Play Improvement Programme
	A 'Better' Future For Young People In Mid Sussex
	Childs Play Phase One
	Milton Keynes Play Lottery Bid
	New Forest @ Play
	Newark and Sherwood Play Improvements
	Support to North Dorset Strategic Play Programme 2007-2010
	Community Play Programme
	North Lincolnshire PlayAlert
	North NorfolkIncreasing access to fun places to play
	Improving Play in North Shropshire
	North Somerset Play Rangers and Play Pods
	Creating Safer Spaces and Places to Play in North Tyneside
	North Warwickshire Play Opportunities
	Changing Lives through Play in North West Leicestershire
	Stepping Out To Play
	Oadby and Wigston Inclusive Play Projects
	Oxford City Improved Opportunities for Play
	Supporting Play in Pendle District
	Penwith Play and Freetime Portfolio of Projects 2007
	Peterborough Children and Young People's Play Portfolio
	Play In Plymouth
	Portsmouth Play
	Redcar and Cleveland Every Day Better Play
	Rochdale Play and Freetime Portfolio
	Rossendale Portfolio of Inclusive Play Projects
	Rotherham Play
	Playing for life in Rushcliffe
	Scarborough 'Opportunity for Play'
	Sevenoaks District Free Play
	SPLISH: Sorting Play in Sheffield
	Vibrant and Inclusive Play in Shrewsbury
	Playing Out in Solihull
	GET PLAYING! in South Derbyshire
	South Hams Getting Real About Play
	Improving Play in South Shropshire
	Play South Somerset
	Southampton Play
	Better Play
	Spelthorne Play Project
	Play Out Project
	Improved Play in Tameside
	Tamworth Play Partnership
	Teignbridge Big Play
	Telford and Wrekin Council Improving Play Opportunities
	Positive about Play in Test Valley
	Thanet Play Portfolio for Children and Young People
	Our Time, Our Space, Our ChoiceTorbay's Play Partnership Strategy
	Developing new and better play opportunities in Trafford.
	Make Time for Play in Tynedale
	Vale Royal's Play Big Time
	The Wealden Big Bus
	Improving Play in West Berkshire
	All to Play For In West Lindsey
	West Oxfordshire Play Portfolio
	THE GROVE and LOUVIERS ROAD MAGNET SITES
	Access All Areas
	Wychavon Play Portfolio
	From Imagination to Reality
	 Playful IdeasProjects Awarded
	Art to Start
	Somali Play Project
	Rural Northumberland Play Project
	Let's All Play
	Nevada club
	Swap Shop Open Air Play Project
	Eye Shine in Devon
	Jubilee Park Play Equipment
	Rural Playrangers Project
	Play on Your Doorstep
	Big Kidz Playzone
	Wakefield Skate
	Play on the wild side
	Creative Play Project
	Puzzle Island: 'play your own way'
	Anson Cabin Project
	Techno Toys
	The PlAy Team
	It's Great Outdoors
	Home Loan/Respite Play Care
	The Honeypot Playbus
	Sensory and Play Garden
	Play Pods for Primary Schools
	Project Buzz

RAF Ibsley

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on the listing of RAF Ibsley control tower; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 19 July 2007
	We are seeking further advice on this case from English Heritage before a final decision can be made.

Recreation Spaces: Floods

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent flooding on public and community sporting facilities; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England is working closely with those areas badly affected and has made an initial assessment of the recent flooding affecting public and community sporting facilities in the regions of Yorkshire, East Midlands and West Midlands. Initial assessments show that there is not a wide-scale problem affecting sporting facilities in Yorkshire but that some individual facilities in the worst affected areas are badly damaged. It is still too early to assess the extent of damage from flooding in the Midlands but Sport England's regional offices are monitoring the situation and will be able to make a fuller assessment when it becomes possible to do so.

Sport: Schools

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date his Department agreed a new target of raising the time allocated to school sport from four hours per week to five hours.

James Purnell: The Prime Minister announced on 13 July 100 million of additional funding to support access to five hours of sport each week for all 5 to 16-year-olds in schools and three hours for all other young people aged 16 to19.

Sports: Yorkshire and Humberside

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance the Government has given to  (a) amateur sports clubs and  (b) sport in schools in York since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The information is as follows.
	 Amateur sports clubs
	Sport England advise that, since 1997, Government and the national lottery funding bodies have awarded 1,925,000 to amateur sports clubs.
	In addition the following clubs in York have been registered as community amateur sports clubs to access the benefits of the scheme;
	Acomb Sports Club
	Alne Cricket Club
	Appleton Roebuck Tennis Club
	Bert Keech Bowls Club
	Bishopthorpe Bowling Club
	Bishopthorpe Tennis Club
	Boroughbridge Sports Association
	Dringhouses Bowling Club
	Easingwold Haxby Robinson Bowling Club
	Easingwold Lawn Tennis Club
	Easingwold Rifle Club
	Easingwold Town Association Football Club
	Fulford Tennis Club
	Hamilton Panthers Association Football Club
	Heworth Amateur Rugby League Club
	Heworth Golf Club
	Heworth Tennis Club
	Huby Bowling Club
	Kingston Ice Dance Club
	New Earswick and District Bowling Club
	Osbaldwick Sports Club
	Shipton Bowls Club
	Stillington Sports and Social Club
	Strensall Bowling Club
	White Rose Triathletes
	York and District Indoor Bowling Club
	York City Rowing Club
	York Cricket and Rugby Union Club
	York Cricket Club
	York Gliding Centre
	York Ladies Cricket Club
	York Railway Institute
	York Squash Rackets Club
	 School sport
	As part of the National School Sport Strategy, all schools in York are part of a School Sport Partnership (a family of schools which work together to increase participation in PE and school sport). Some are part of the York High Partnership, which was established in 2003 and will have received funding of 927,488 in the five years to 2008. The other schools are in the Burnholme Partnership, which was established in 2005 and will have received 631,215 in the three years to 2008.
	Lottery funding of 222,526 has been awarded for two Out of School Hours Learning/School Sports Coordinators in York at the York High School Sport Partnership and the Burnholme Community College School Sport Partnership.
	Government and the national lottery funding bodies have awarded 1,461,065 for community sports facilities in schools through programmes such as Active England, New Opportunities for PE and Sport and the Community Projects Capital Fund.

Sportsgrounds: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many new sporting facilities have been provided for children in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: We do not hold information centrally about new sports facilities provided for use only by children. However, Sport England collects information through the Active Places database on new sports facilities that have community access, including the public and private sector. The following table provides data taken from database and shows the numbers of sports facilities known to have been built in each London borough since 2002.
	
		
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  Total by borough 
			 Barking and Dagenham 3 1 4 3 1 1 13 
			 Barnet 7 7 9 8 3 0 34 
			 Bexley 0 6 1 15 3 0 25 
			 Brent 0 9 3 1 3 0 16 
			 Bromley 3 3 0 0 2 0 8 
			 Camden 8 4 2 2 4 1 21 
			 City of London 6 3 0 2 2 0 13 
			 Westminster 15 7 6 1 2 2 33 
			 Croydon 7 2 9 8 6 0 32 
			 Ealing 5 7 3 5 2 3 25 
			 Enfield 5 2 7 0 5 1 20 
			 Greenwich 4 2 1 2 2 0 11 
			 Hackney 1 3 3 1 4 0 12 
			 Hammersmith 9 5 2 2 3 0 21 
			 Haringey 6 2 3 1 2 1 15 
			 Harrow 2 1 0 0 1 0 4 
			 Havering 0 1 12 6 0 0 19 
			 Hillingdon 3 1 4 4 4 0 16 
			 Hounslow 1 1 2 8 3 2 17 
			 Islington 2 4 2 1 2 0 11 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 5 2 2 0 1 0 10 
			 Kingston 5 4 1 1 2 2 15 
			 Lambeth 1 0 4 1 3 1 10 
			 Lewisham 1 3 7 3 2 4 20 
			 Merton 5 3 6 6 0 0 20 
			 Newham 7 4 1 7 3 0 22 
			 Redbridge 5 1 1 0 2 0 9 
			 Richmond 2 1 5 2 1 0 11 
			 Southwark 4 2 3 7 6 1 23 
			 Sutton 3 5 7 5 3 0 23 
			 Tower Hamlets 2 3 5 2 9 1 22 
			 Waltham Forest 7 0 5 4 6 5 27 
			 Wandsworth 4 2 7 1 0 0 14 
			 Total by year 138 101 127 109 92 25 592

TRANSPORT

Airborne Global System for Mobile Equipment

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the European Aviation Safety Authority granted airworthiness certification for the Airborne Global System for Mobile Equipment; when the House was informed of this decision; what the consultation process was prior to this decision; what the dates were of the consultation; which organisations were consulted; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: This is a technical matter between a European Agency and a private company.
	The European Aviation Safety Agency issued Airbus with airworthiness certification for an airborne global system for mobile equipment (GSM) system on 19 June. The certification was issued to enable trials to be carried out on a single aircraft. EASA is the competent authority in the EU with responsibility for the airworthiness certification of all aeronautical products. It did not undertake a consultation process with regards to this particular approval.
	Following the outcome of the trials and the product approval granted by EASA, operators of UK airlines would be required to gain an operational approval from the CAA before mobile equipment could be used on their aircraft.

Bus Services: Concessions

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated set-up cost is of the new concessionary bus travel schemes set up under the Concessionary Bus Travel Bill per individual smart card; and how these costs were calculated.

Rosie Winterton: The cost of introducing smartcards will depend on local circumstance and will vary from authority to authority. The Department commissioned independent Consultants, Deloitte, to produce an estimate of the indicative costs of all stages of introducing a national concessionary bus pass for older and disabled people in England. Their report was received in January 2007, and estimated that the cost, per smart card, would be between 2.64 and 3.59.
	The report drew upon a number of sources. Several regional and local authorities have already implemented smart card travel schemes while many more are actively planning to, and members of several such authorities were interviewed. In addition, a number of representatives from key suppliers and from transport operating companies were also approached for information for the report.

Bus Services: Concessions

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will fund the new bus schemes arising from the Concessionary Bus Travel Bill by specific grants direct to local transport authorities.

Rosie Winterton: Funding for the Concessionary Bus Travel Act will either be distributed via the formula grant systemas is the case for funding of the current statutory minimum concessionor specific grant by formula. A decision on the funding route will be made in due course.

Departments: Air Conditioning

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by the Department and its agencies on the hire of mobile air conditioning units in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The requested information is as follows:
	
		
			   
			 2002-03 19,000 
			 2003-04 87,097 
			 2004-05 117,989 
			 2005-06 171,936 
			 2006-07 190,692

Departments: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of people employed by  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies are disabled.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The proportions of staff who declared that they were in the Department and its agencies disabled at 31 March 2007 was 6.1 per cent.

Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people in her Department have been  (a) disciplined and  (b) dismissed for (i) inappropriate use of the internet while at work and (ii) using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows the number of people in the Department and its Agencies that have been disciplined/dismissed for inappropriate use of the internet while at work and using work telephones to access premium rate telephone numbers in the last 12 months.
	
		
			   Number disciplined  Number dismissed 
			 Internet 155 20 
			 Telephone 1 0 
		
	
	Almost all of these relate to one particular instance. This represents 0.84 per cent. of staff employed within the Department for Transport central and its Agencies.

Departments: Flint Bishop Solicitors

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies have made payments to Flint Bishop solicitors since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Since the Department was formed in May 2002 of the Department's agencies, only the Highways Agency has a record of payments being made to Flint Bishop solicitors, as follows:
	2002-0333,504
	2006-071,039

Departments: Information Officers

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many press officers are employed by her Department.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The full time equivalent number of staff employed on press officer activities on 1 July 2007 is as follows:
	
		
			   Press officers 
			 DfT Central 14 
			 DfT Agencies 22 
		
	
	Press office activities in most agencies are not carried out by staff or units solely dedicated to this purpose.

Departments: Ministerial Red Boxes

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many ministerial red boxes her Department bought in each of the last five years; what the cost of each was; who the suppliers were; and what tendering process was used in selecting them.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Ministerial boxes are used by successive Ministers over many years.
	Since the Department was formed in May 2002, it has purchased 13 ministerial red boxes at a total cost of some 8,853.62 (inc VAT). All of the boxes were supplied by Banner Business Supplies (formerly the Stationery Office). Identifying the tendering process at this stage could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Postal Services

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what volume of correspondence her Department sent  (a) by Royal Mail and  (b) by other commercial delivery services in each of the last five years; and what the reasons were for the use of other commercial delivery services.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport is a federated organisation comprising seven Executive Agencies. Data on volume of correspondence sent by Royal Mail and by other commercial service providers is not recorded in all cases.
	Where recorded the requested information is as follows:
	
		
			   Items 
			  (a)  
			 2002-02 76,720,270 
			 2003-04 80,866,908 
			 2004-05 110,748,308 
			 2005-06 100,662,528 
			 2006-07 102,671,860 
			  (b)  
			 2002-02 (1) 
			 2003-04 (1) 
			 2004-05 3,905 
			 2005-06 4,481 
			 2006-07 7,685 
			 (1) not recorded 
		
	
	Commercial delivery services are only used when it was proven more cost effective to do so, at customer's request, for non-standard sized items or if time critical.

Departments: Press

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to which periodicals her Department subscribes.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport (Central) receives a library and information service from Communities and Local Government. A list of those periodicals centrally funded has been placed in the Library of the House. Separating those titles solely held for use by the Department for Transport could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The list also includes periodicals subscribed to outside this service by the Department's Executive agencies.
	The list excludes information from the Government Car and Despatch Agency and the Driving Standards Agency which could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Press

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by her Department on newspapers and magazines in the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport (Central) receives a library and information service from Communities and Local Government. From 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007, the library spent 25,064 on paper-based publications for Department for Transport and for Communities and Local Government. This included the purchase of newspapers, magazines, annuals and books. Separating out spend relating to newspapers and magazines solely held for use by Department for Transport would attract a disproportionate cost.
	Expenditure outside this service, by the Department's executive agencies, was some 169,225 in 2006-07. This excludes information from the Government Car and Despatch Agency and the Driving Standards Agency which could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Training

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by her Department on staff away days in the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is not held in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Travel

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent by her Department on  (a) business class and  (b) first class flights in the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Air travel expenditure is not recorded by class of ticket. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

Departments: Travel

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of miles travelled by cars in the Government Car and Despatch Agency in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2001-02; and how many miles were travelled in work conducted for each Government Department.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the then Minister of State for Transport (Dr. Ladyman) on 22 February 2007,  Official Report, column 1939W.

Driving Offences

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of motor vehicles being used on the road without  (a) road tax,  (b) insurance and  (c) a driving licence.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 24 July 2007
	 (a) The most recent estimates of the number of vehicles evading Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) in Great Britain and Northern Ireland were published in the statistical report Vehicle Excise Duty Evasion 2006. A copy of this report, published on 25 January 2007, was placed in the House of Commons Library and is also available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/162259/162469/VEDEvasionSurveyReport2006
	 (b) Our latest estimate (2005) for uninsured driving is based on a comparison of the vehicle register, maintained by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and the Motor Insurance Database. It is that there are about 2.1 million vehicles (about 6.5 per cent. of the UK vehicle fleet) being driven by uninsured drivers.
	 (c) The most recent estimate of the number of drivers using a vehicle on the road without a valid driving licence was published in a joint DfT/DEFRA/ACPO report, Roads Policing Operation V79National Driver and Vehicle Compliance Check. It was published on 8 September 2006, was placed in the House of Commons Library and is also available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/roadspolicingoperationv79/
	The Government are determined to tackle the problem of unlicensed vehicles. It introduced a system of continuous registration (CR) in January 2004 to enforce VED direct from the computer record. In addition, DVLA let a new contract to wheelclamp unlicensed vehicles in May 2006. In the 12 months since then 100,442 vehicles were clamped and impounded.
	The Road Safety Act 2006 gives the Government powers to introduce a system of continuous insurance enforcement. The scheme will provide a new fixed penalty for people who ignore official reminders that their insurance has expired. This will apply to vehicles that are not declared as being off the road through a Statutory Off-Road Notification (SORN) and are not insured. Continuing offenders risk having their vehicle seized and destroyed. This is expected to begin in 2008.

Driving Offences: London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many hit and run accidents there were in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the then Minister of State for Transport (Dr. Stephen Ladyman) of 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 734-5W for data up to 2005. Data for 2006 are given in the table.
	
		
			  Reported personal injury accidents involving one or more hit and run drivers / riders by London borough: 2006 
			  London borough  2006 
			 Barking 91 
			 Barnet 142 
			 Bexley 73 
			 Brent 113 
			 Bromley 78 
			 Camden 107 
			 City of London 53 
			 Croydon 133 
			 Ealing 184 
			 Enfield 126 
			 Greenwich 95 
			 Hackney 162 
			 Hammersmith 108 
			 Haringey 134 
			 Harrow 36 
			 Havering 77 
			 Hillingdon 97 
			 Hounslow 114 
			 Islington 99 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 103 
			 Kingston upon Thames 30 
			 Lambeth 178 
			 Lewisham 124 
			 Merton 49 
			 Newham 216 
			 Redbridge 170 
			 Richmond upon Thames 39 
			 Southwark 177 
			 Sutton 51 
			 Tower Hamlets 179 
			 Waltham Forest 159 
			 Wandsworth 103 
			 Westminster 222

Driving Offences: Mobile Phones

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of people who were stopped for using mobile telephones while driving  (a) vans and other light goods vehicles and  (b) heavy goods vehicles in the last period for which information is available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: No such estimate is made. However, the Department monitors the number of drivers using mobile phones while driving on a regular basis. The survey for 2007 is under way at the moment and the results will be published later this year. The survey differentiates between cars and other vehicles including vans and lorries. The most recent survey published in August 2006 is in TRL Leaflet 2100. That is available on-line at
	www.trl.co.uk/store/report_list.asp?pid=211.

Driving: Age

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the merits of increasing the legal driving age to 18 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department most recently considered the case for increasing the legal driving age in the context of its 2002 consultation A More Structured Approach to Learning to Drive.
	At that time, we took the view the way forward was to improve the educational environment to provide access to a more consistent and better standard of training rather than to place restrictions on new drivers which we were concerned would have an impact on significant numbers of young people, especially those in rural areas. We will, however, be considering these issues further in the light of the report published on 19 July 2007 on Novice Drivers by the Transport Select Committee and are planning a further consultation later this year.

Driving: Licensing

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints were received by  (a) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA),  (b) her Department and  (c) other bodies on the process by which licence applications are processed by the DVLA in each year since 2000-01, broken down by nature of the complaint.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The figures for  (a) The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency are contained in the following table
	
		
			  Category of Complaint  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Non receipt of driving licence 92 57 86 87 126 108 204 
			 Errors on driving licence 192 199 195 202 174 186 203 
			 Driving licence complaint 139 168 262 310 312 224 263 
			 Driver's Medical complaint 174 129 141 429 200 149 288 
			 Total 597 553 684 1,028 812 667 958 
		
	
	Any complaints received by the Department or other bodies on the licence process are forwarded to DVLA to deal with and would therefore be included in the above figures.
	DVLA continuously strives to improve its service to customers and constantly reviews its working processes. DVLA is currently reviewing its forms and literature to ensure that they are clear and user friendly and meet customer needs.

Heathrow Airport

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many level busts where planes landing or taking off at Heathrow lost their vertical separation by deviation of 300 feet or more from the assigned level took place in each year since 2000; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many losses of standard separation of planes were recorded by planes landing and departing at Heathrow in each year since 2000; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 19 July 2007
	This is an operational matter for NATS, the air navigation services provider. I have asked the Chief Executive of NATS to respond to your questions directly.

Heathrow Airport: Passengers

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many overseas residents on  (a) leisure and  (b) business trips transferred or transited at Heathrow airport to (i) an overseas destination and (ii) another destination in the UK in 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The table shows the estimated number of overseas residents on leisure and business trips who transferred at Heathrow airport to an overseas destination and another destination in the UK in 2006.
	Information on the country of residence or the trip purpose of transit passengers is not available.
	
		
			  Transfer passengers at Heathrow (overseas residents), 2006 
			  thousand 
			   Business  Leisure  Total 
			 Transfer to an overseas destination 5,300 12,607 17,908 
			 Transfer to another destination in the UK 432 768 1,200 
			  Source: Civil Aviation Authority

Heathrow Airport: Passengers

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) UK residents and  (b) overseas residents who were transfer or transit passengers through Heathrow were (i) travelling between a UK origin and an overseas destination and (ii) travelling between two UK destinations for (A) business and (B) leisure in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows the data for transfer and transit passengers at Heathrow in 2006. The detailed breakdown by destination and trip purpose is not available for transit passengers.
	
		
			  Transfer and transit passengers at Heathrow 2006 
			  thousand 
			   UK residents  Overseas residents  
			   Business  Leisure  Business  Leisure  Total passengers 
			  Transfer passengers:  
			 Between a UK origin and an overseas destination 880 2,713 806 1,317 5,716 
			  of which:  
			 Domestic to International 491 1,454 374 549 2,868 
			 International to Domestic 389 1,259 432 768 2,848 
			   
			 Between two UK destinations 0   0 1 
			   
			 Transit passengers n/a n/a n/a n/a 189 
			 0 = Zero passengers.  = Less than 500 passengers. n/a = Not available.  Source: Civil Aviation Authority

Heathrow Airport: Passengers

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) transfer and  (b) transit passengers used Heathrow airport in (i) 1976, (ii) 1986, (iii) 1996 and (iv) 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows the estimated number of transfer and transit passengers at Heathrow airport in 1978, 1987, 1996 and 2006. Data are not available for 1976 or 1986.
	
		
			  Transfer and transit passengers at Heathrow airport 
			  million 
			   Transfer  Transit 
			 1978 5.7 0.4 
			 1987 7.8 0.4 
			 1996 18.2 0.3 
			 2006 22.9 0.2 
			  Source: Civil Aviation Authority

Heathrow Airport: Passengers

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many UK residents on  (a) leisure and  (b) business trips transferred or transited at Heathrow airport to (i) an overseas destination and (ii) another destination in the UK in 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The following table shows the estimated number of UK residents on leisure and business trips who transferred at Heathrow airport to an overseas destination and another destination in the UK in 2006. Information on the country of residence or the trip purpose of transit passengers is not available.
	
		
			  Transfer passengers at Heathrow (UK residents), 2006 
			  thousand 
			   Transfer to an overseas destination  Transfer to another destination in  the UK 
			 Business 554 390 
			 Leisure 1,582 1,260 
			 Total 2,137 1,650 
			  Source: Civil Aviation Authority

Heathrow Airport: Security

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will meet London First to discuss the impact of security arrangements at Heathrow Airport on business travellers.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 24 July 2007
	 The Department is very aware of the issues facing business and leisure travellers, resulting from the necessary current security regulations. My right hon. Friend last week hosted an Aviation Security Summit with senior aviation industry figures, to review industry's preparedness for this summer's peak traffic season, and to explore the scope for steps which might be taken to further ease the burden on passengers whilst continuing to ensure effective security. My right hon. Friend will be meeting with London First shortly.

Highways Agency: Weather

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Highways Agency was notified by the Meteorological Office of the warning of severe weather on and around 20 July; and what information was provided.

Tom Harris: The Highways Agency was first notified by the Meteorological Office of a heavy rain warning at 10.12 am on Wednesday 18 July. The warning stated that a prolonged period of heavy and thundery rain was expected to affect parts of England and Wales on Friday and into Saturday. The warning stated that there was doubt about where the highest rainfall would occur but that southern and eastern areas were most at risk and that the heavy rain could lead to flooding in some areas and cause disruption to outdoor events and transport networks.
	This warning was updated at 10.39 am on Thursday 19 July to a prolonged period of heavy and thundery rain affecting southern parts of England and Wales on Friday, then moving into more northern areas overnight and into Saturday.

Highways Agency: Weather

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Highways Agency took in response to the recent bad weather warning and information provided by the Meteorological Office; when these were taken; and whether the Highways Agency took any steps to inform the public of possible problems with travelling because of the adverse weather conditions.

Tom Harris: The Highways Agency issued at 4.37 pm on Thursday 19 July a Press Notice warning of severe weather.
	The Highways Agency had patrols of Traffic Officers and Incident Support Units operating along key routes throughout Friday to identify any problems and deal with events where possible. Updates on road conditions were regularly issued through the media, on the Agency's website and through its Information Line. The Agency issued a further 10 Press Notices and updates between Friday 20 July and Tuesday 24 July.

Highways Agency: Weather

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the policy is of the Highways Agency on acting upon warnings received from the Meteorological Office on adverse weather conditions.

Tom Harris: The Highways Agency's Regional Control Centres for the regions affected implement operational plans depending on the type of warning. The Agency's National Traffic Control Centre responds at a strategic level depending on the nature and duration of the weather event and co-ordinates dissemination of information to the public, press and on strategic motorway signs.
	In the most serious events the Agency has contingency plans at local, regional and national level, and these plans would provide the operational response to disruption caused by the weather.
	In all cases contingency plans utilise both the Highways Agency Traffic Officer Service, and the Agency's service providers, to ensure there is both a response in the Agency's new role as a network operator, and the traditional role as the maintainer to the strategic roads network.
	The contingency plans are regularly rehearsed and tested, and following all incidents there is a debrief and lesson learning process. The Agency also has a 'Severe WeatherLessons Learnt' group which meets monthly throughout the year.
	The Agency has special arrangements with the Met Office for weather forecasting, with a Met Office forecaster 'embedded' in the National Traffic Control centre from October to April, and there is a bureau arrangement with the Met Office for the remainder of the year.
	For the future the Agency is working with the freight transport industry to set up a warning system, to advise transport drivers of severe weather conditions, and in particular to prevent high sided vehicles being blown over in high winds. This should be in place prior to the winter 2007-08.

Lorries: EU Law

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government are taking to prepare for the introduction of mandatory retro-reflective markings on all newly registered heavy goods vehicles by 10 October 2009 under European Union Directive 76/756/EEC.

Jim Fitzpatrick: UNECE Regulation 48 permits contracting parties to refuse registration of heavy goods vehicles not fitted with retro-reflective conspicuity markings from 10 October 2009 and Department officials are currently drafting the necessary amendments to the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations to introduce requirements from this date.
	However, Directive 76/756/EEC requires that we must continue to register vehicles type approved before 10 July 2008 without retro-reflective markings fitted until 10 July 2011 and derogations will be necessary for such vehicles.

Lorries: EU Law

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government are taking to prepare for the introduction of mandatory retro-reflective markings on all new types of heavy goods vehicles by 10 October 2007 under European Union Directive 76/756/EEC.

Jim Fitzpatrick: New types of heavy goods vehicles which are approved to UNECE Regulation 48 from 10 October 2007 must be fitted with retro-reflective markings.
	However, type approval of heavy goods vehicles is currently optional in the UK and retro-reflective markings on all new types of heavy goods vehicles will become mandatory with the introduction of European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) for heavy trucks and trailers which implements Directive 76/756/EEC.
	We will implement the requirements of ECWVTA into national legislation in accordance with the specified timetable. It is anticipated that all complete new types of heavy goods vehicle will have to be type approved from October 2010, which will include provisions relating to retro-reflective markings.

Lorries: Health Hazards

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of  (a) the effects on human health of increased levels of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic and  (b) the level of HGV movements per day on a public highway at which there would be an increased risk to people living (i) a quarter of a mile, (ii) half a mile, (iii) three-quarters of a mile and (iv) one mile from a public highway.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport does not have health expertise but relies on the advice of the Department for Health's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP). COMEAP estimated that in 1996(1) airborne particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide (the two main road traffic pollutants) resulted in 19,200 hospital admissions. More recently concentrations of particulate matter in 2005 were estimated to reduce average life expectancy by eight months.
	It is not possible to separate the health impacts of specific vehicle types from other sources. However, in 2001 road traffic accounted for 55-60 per cent. of particulate matter and 85-90 per cent. of nitrogen dioxide at roadside, and 20-25 per cent. of particulate matter and 65-70 per cent. of nitrogen dioxide at background locations, in London (the worst case location). In this same year heavy goods vehicles were responsible for 13 per cent. and 17 per cent. of urban road traffic emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide respectively.
	The Department is committed to reducing road transport emissions. The most effective mechanism for this is via new vehicle emissions standards, often known as 'Euro' standards. These have already brought about substantial reductions in emissions, however further reductions are required if we are to meet our air quality objectives. I am pleased to report that new standards ('Euro 5' and 'Euro 6') which will give major reductions in light duty vehicle emissions were adopted by the European Council in May 2007. We are also expecting a proposal from the European Commission late this year to further tighten heavy goods vehicle emissions requirements.
	For particulate matter, there is no known threshold below which there are no effects on health, this makes it impossible to identify a number of vehicle movements below which there are no health impacts. However, maps showing ambient concentrations of pollutants(2) on a one kilometre square basis relative to Air Quality targets are available from national emissions modelling. In addition the Highways Agency routinely assesses the impacts of trunk road projects on emissions and exceedences of air quality objectives.
	(1) http://www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/comeap/statementsreports/ airpol7.htm
	(2) http://www.naei.org.uk/mapping/mapping_2004.php

Luggage: Airports

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bags were reported by passengers  (a) lost,  (b) damaged and  (c) delayed using Scotland's airports in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is not held by this Department. Information on baggage may be held by individual airlines/airport operators.

Office of the Rail Regulator: Consultants

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will list the  (a) technical and financial contracts,  (b) technical consultants used on a call-off basis and  (c) financial consultants used on a call-off basis by the Office of the Rail Regulator since November 2005; what the nature was of the assignment for each consultant; and what the value was of work done by each consultant.

Tom Harris: holding answer 23 July 2007
	A table has been placed in the House Libraries detailing contracts which have been let since November 2005 relating to ORR's economic and technical directorates. Two contracts are on a call off basis. The values shown are the total amount estimated at the time the contract was let.

Official Cars: Ministers

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 23 July 2007,  Official Report, column 674W, on official cars: Ministers, which Minister was referred to in the answer.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Lord Sainsbury of Turville, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry until November 2006 was not provided with an official car and driver by the Government Car and Despatch Agency.

Railway Stations: Security

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what proportion of railway stations in each region were accredited under the Secure Stations Scheme in each year since 1998.

Tom Harris: Stations are awarded Secure Station status for a two year period once they have met the required Scheme accreditation standards on station design, station management, crime management and passenger perceptions. After this two year period, stations can seek reaccreditation under the Scheme.
	The figures requested are provided in the following table. The England figures cover overground, London Underground and Docklands Light Rail stations.
	The yearly accreditation figures represent stations that have received their accreditation or reaccreditation in that year. The figures do not include those stations in the second year of their accreditation period. For example, by totalling all new accreditations with those currently in the second year of their accreditation there are at present a total of 516 accredited stations in England, Scotland and Wales. This represents 18.4 per cent. of the total stations in GB.
	Currently, over 90 per cent. of all overground rail journeys, and 74 per cent. of London Underground journeys involve passengers starting or finishing their journey at a Secure Station.
	
		
			   England  Scotland  Wales 
			   Accreditations  Percentage  Accreditations  Percentage  Accreditations  Percentage 
			 1998 5 0.2 
			 1999 22 1.0 1 0.3   
			 2000 49 2.2 1 0.3   
			 2001 60 2.7 2 0.3   
			 2002 75 3.3' 1 0.3 1 0.5 
			 2003 62 2.8 1 0.3 1 0.5 
			 2004 92 4.1 2 0.3   
			 2005 97 4.3 1 0.3 1 0.5 
			 2006 293 13.0 2 0.6 6 2.8 
			 2007 128 5.7   4 1.9

Railways: Tees Valley

Dari Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the case for expansion and modernisation of the local rail network that serves Tees Valley from Darlington.

Tom Harris: Network Rail has developed a programme of Route Utilisation Strategies which examine detailed options for developing the railway and producing business cases to support the options. They are currently consulting on the strategy for the East Coast Main Line and other related lines including those through Darlington and the Tees Valley. I understand that the local authorities and regional bodies in that area have been working closely with Network Rail on the development of the strategy and will be responding to the consultation exercise.

River Dart

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she will reply to the emails from the Secretary of the River Dart Non Beneficiary Group of 26 June, 1 July and 9 July inviting an official from the ports division to attend the meeting on Wednesday 12 September at Dittisham Parish Hall.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Officials from the Department responded on 18 July to the invitation that had been sent to them.

Roads: Accidents

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents including fatal accidents there were in Coventry in each year since 1995.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of reported personal injury road accidents, including fatal accidents, in Coventry for each year since 1995 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of accidents 
			   Fatal  Total( 1) 
			 1995 8 913 
			 1996 8 919 
			 1997 10 1,100 
			 1998 10 1,146 
			 1999 2 1,103 
			 2000 12 1,208 
			 2001 8 1,142 
			 2002 4 1,163 
			 2003 8 1,057 
			 2004 7 934 
			 2005 14 932 
			 2006 10 927 
			 (1) Includes fatal, serious and slight accidents.

Roads: Accidents

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road fatalities have occurred in  (a) each police authority and  (b) each operational command unit in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the last 12 months, broken down by age.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of fatalities in reported personal injury road accidents in each police authority in 2006, by fatality age band, is given in the table.
	
		
			  Number of fatalities 
			  Police authority  0-15  16-19  20-29  30-39  40-49  50-59  60-69  70-79  80+  Total( 1) 
			 Avon and Somerset 3 12 17 18 8 9 5 4 6 82 
			 Bedfordshire 1 8 10 2 4 1 2 2 2 32 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 6 10 13 12 8 4 5 2 62 
			 Cheshire 0 6 11 13 10 8 4 7 4 64 
			 City of London 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 Cleveland 1 5 5 2 1 0 1 3 1 19 
			 Cumbria 3 13 10 11 7 4 2 5 4 59 
			 Derbyshire 3 7 13 10 3 3 2 6 0 47 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3 16 13 13 16 6 5 7 10 93 
			 Dorset 5 4 6 3 3 4 3 4 6 38 
			 Durham 2 3 11 6 4 0 1 1 1 29 
			 Essex 5 13 30 17 12 8 1 7 7 100 
			 Gloucestershire 1 8 16 4 3 2 2 1 1 38 
			 Greater Manchester 6 8 26 15 9 5 3 9 9 90 
			 Hampshire 2 12 20 9 8 4 4 5 8 72 
			 Hertfordshire 3 6 8 9 3 3 4 5 2 43 
			 Humberside 0 6 15 4 10 8 2 4 2 51 
			 Kent 5 10 19 18 11 14 3 6 3 91 
			 Lancashire 6 7 18 7 8 3 7 3 4 63 
			 Leicestershire 4 13 14 10 17 5 4 4 2 73 
			 Lincolnshire 5 11 8 13 12 7 4 1 5 66 
			 Merseyside 5 9 8 3 4 4 2 3 7 45 
			 Metropolitan Police 16 19 55 34 28 21 15 15 26 230 
			 Norfolk 3 8 9 7 4 7 9 11 8 66 
			 North Yorkshire 4 9 14 8 9 6 3 10 6 69 
			 Northamptonshire 1 11 15 19 11 11 4 1 1 74 
			 Northumbria 1 10 14 8 9 2 7 6 4 61 
			 Nottinghamshire 3 8 14 14 8 8 4 5 3 67 
			 South Yorkshire 8 4 18 10 7 9 3 4 8 71 
			 Staffordshire 4 12 22 9 8 9 5 5 7 81 
			 Suffolk 1 6 12 5 7 4 2 6 4 47 
			 Surrey 1 4 9 9 6 4 3 6 10 52 
			 Sussex 3 9 15 18 14 11 12 6 11 99 
			 Thames Valley 5 17 39 25 16 17 6 8 10 143 
			 Warwickshire 1 7 15 7 7 2 4 2 2 47 
			 West Mercia 2 17 10 8 11 8 4 4 10 74 
			 West Midlands 9 4 28 17 16 5 9 5 9 102 
			 West Yorkshire 7 17 34 10 11 8 6 7 13 113 
			 Wiltshire 1 3 13 6 3 2 5 3 5 41 
			
			 Dyfed-Powys 4 10 7 12 7 10 5 1 0 56 
			 Gwent 1 1 4 1 2 3 2 1 2 17 
			 North Wales 3 9 10 6 4 2 4 3 4 45 
			 South Wales 2 3 13 9 3 4 1 3 7 45 
			
			 Central 3 2 5 4 3 1 1 0 0 19 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 0 3 5 7 5 0 4 1 0 25 
			 Fife 2 2 4 3 3 3 1 0 1 19 
			 Grampian 3 10 15 13 6 4 1 6 4 62 
			 Lothian and Borders 3 3 6 8 5 7 3 3 4 42 
			 Northern 3 3 7 6 5 0 4 1 1 30 
			 Strathclyde 10 4 19 13 12 9 7 13 9 96 
			 Tayside 1 0 7 3 3 0 3 2 2 21 
			
			 Great Britain 169 398 726 500 398 283 202 230 257 3,172 
			 (1) Includes cases where the age of the fatality was not recorded. 
		
	
	2006 is the most recent year for which this information is available.
	The information is not available by operational command units in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Roads: Accidents

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic accidents involved drivers aged  (a) 17 to 21 and  (b) over 60 years old in each London borough in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one driver/rider aged  (a) 17 to 21 and  (b) over 60 years old in each London borough in each of the last 10 years is given in the tables.
	
		
			  Reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one driver/rider aged 17 to 21 by London borough: 2006 
			  Number of accidents 
			  London borough  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barking 143 138 151 154 124 95 87 92 97 98 
			 Barnet 285 296 237 275 212 243 204 187 152 153 
			 Bexley 158 152 147 142 155 155 113 121 113 122 
			 Brent 201 178 190 169 165 161 164 99 103 96 
			 Bromley 262 219 212 197 194 189 177 157 154 153 
			 Camden 149 127 136 137 135 91 82 66 83 58 
			 City of London 31 26 22 21 22 19 14 14 17 16 
			 Croydon 272 265 253 268 239 251 176 191 183 167 
			 Ealing 238 207 253 213 201 201 148 144 120 136 
			 Enfield 291 296 265 267 251 243 223 186 149 112 
			 Greenwich 156 152 160 153 170 158 144 111 90 98 
			 Hackney 121 116 150 132 112 94 93 67 61 58 
			 Hammersmith 107 97 93 94 89 69 65 54 58 48 
			 Haringey 135 125 120 167 141 116 127 90 78 73 
			 Harrow 133 121 137 101 127 106 96 95 74 96 
			 Havering 266 226 222 189 195 191 184 152 147 159 
			 Hillingdon 278 226 238 219 232 227 195 182 171 137 
			 Hounslow 219 198 190 203 200 162 149 133 113 94 
			 Islington 110 143 115 125 124 109 86 65 64 44 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 94 82 85 88 82 49 45 37 52 40 
			 Kingston upon Thames 115 113 101 104 66 100 90 73 72 46 
			 Lambeth 187 157 192 161 134 149 132 87 102 83 
			 Lewisham 176 139 172 179 158 152 147 131 109 86 
			 Merton 100 112 96 105 80 95 93 52 60 62 
			 Newham 157 160 164 164 174 137 101 79 112 103 
			 Redbridge 205 216 213 222 226 191 171 156 149 102 
			 Richmond upon Thames 123 102 87 100 83 80 70 74 63 68 
			 Southwark 144 162 168 176 172 142 139 103 95 86 
			 Sutton 147 126 128 115 141 125 105 97 112 111 
			 Tower Hamlets 123 138 165 156 184 103 101 85 86 76 
			 Waltham Forest 143 145 145 169 162 120 101 112 84 98 
			 Wandsworth 148 130 132 135 121 107 82 110 83 83 
			 Westminster 190 190 207 204 143 141 121 80 90 87 
		
	
	
		
			  Reported personal injury road accidents involving at least one driver/rider aged 60 or more by London borough: 2006 
			   Number of accidents 
			  London borough  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barking 76 80 68 75 76 56 58 52 42 50 
			 Barnet 182 198 205 186 186 174 160 154 131 159 
			 Bexley 76 94 80 85 92 99 60 62 65 72 
			 Brent 119 86 112 140 92 86 94 70 89 68 
			 Bromley 169 174 161 140 143 162 131 139 137 133 
			 Camden 87 97 111 102 102 98 92 99 71 56 
			 City of London 20 28 30 8 24 24 19 17 20 20 
			 Croydon 141 160 133 138 143 131 128 126 122 120 
			 Ealing 134 112 129 141 110 105 114 85 95 67 
			 Enfield 161 158 157 146 139 146 130 118 114 83 
			 Greenwich 84 80 87 84 91 78 77 68 71 74 
			 Hackney 77 60 68 62 68 63 58 38 52 50 
			 Hammersmith 48 71 72 66 62 55 64 54 49 53 
			 Haringey 71 . 66 75 89 93 76 77 58 38 62 
			 Harrow 89 91 83 75 89 64 76 71 59 55 
			 Havering 123 141 128 119 137 126 120 97 119 123 
			 Hillingdon 183 156 135 144 133 141 119 123 140 105 
			 Hounslow 123 114 118 104 94 101 94 73 88 68 
			 Islington 73 82 70 62 71 63 64 45 46 52 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 74 84 87 72 58 52 49 53 68 51 
			 Kingston upon Thames 68 74 72 56 61 72 64 40 48 43 
			 Lambeth 123 107 115 116 108 85 110 79 79 71 
			 Lewisham 109 107 115 100 105 95 83 76 72 74 
			 Merton 70 57 91 63 63 61 74 62 59 50 
			 Newham 60 74 55 55 66 47 45 46 48 56 
			 Redbridge 147 124 128 132 121 118 117 96 86 77 
			 Richmond upon Thames 71 78 69 76 83 82 61 66 69 58 
			 Southwark 77 78 87 95 94 90 88 74 84 64 
			 Sutton 82 87 90 85 90 72 82 54 64 64 
			 Tower Hamlets 60 58 71 54 63 49 30 49 47 33 
			 Waltham Forest 83 92 66 66 86 67 70 52 66 50 
			 Wandsworth 84 97 88 86 89 86 89 96 61 68 
			 Westminster 184 198 180 175 177 165 173 173 131 129

Roads: Accidents

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents occurred on or near pedestrian crossings in each London borough in each of the last five years; and how many involved the  (a) death  and (b) injury of pedestrians.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of reported personal injury road accidents that occurred on or near pedestrian crossings in each London borough in each of the last five years; and how many involved the  (a) death and injury of pedestrians is given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Reported personal injury road accidents on or near a pedestrian crossi ng by London boroughs: 2002- 06 
			  Number of accidents 
			  London borough  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barking 176 200 176 100 96 
			 Barnet 331 303 299 225 251 
			 Bexley 100 72 97 89 87 
			 Brent 242 241 192 190 191 
			 Bromley 171 114 116 128 138 
			 Camden 467 475 448 405 405 
			 City of London 183 141 162 149 160 
			 Croydon 390 410 338 278 241 
			 Ealing 371 375 260 180 128 
			 Enfield 281 246 226 187 185 
			 Greenwich 355 248 182 172 188 
			 Hackney 379 413 348 247 197 
			 Hammersmith 371 300 236 219 196 
			 Haringey 306 377 284 179 233 
			 Harrow 121 104 139 88 74 
			 Havering 224 202 180 101 136 
			 Hillingdon 264 224 225 130 137 
			 Hounslow 199 265 247 164 132 
			 Islington 383 364 311 323 286 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 368 377 283 271 259 
			 Kingston upon Thames 100 90 92 89 58 
			 Lambeth 705 697 477 433 414 
			 Lewisham 417 439 327 264 252 
			 Merton 153 174 118 119 83 
			 Newham 373 324 258 184 218 
			 Redbridge 264 165 160 118 107 
			 Richmond upon Thames 140 136 126 98 83 
			 Southwark 676 572 397 360 398 
			 Sutton 155 148 116 83 104 
			 Tower Hamlets 343 325 327 230 221 
			 Waltham Forest 208 209 191 130 138 
			 Wandsworth 509 404 388 238 189 
			 Westminster 936 787 562 666 683 
		
	
	
		
			  Reported personal injury road accidents on or near a pedestrian crossing involving at least one pedestrian injury( 1) , by London  boroughs: 2002- 06 
			  Number of accidents 
			  London borough  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barking 45 34 39 22 17 
			 Barnet 82 70 71 51 65 
			 Bexley 25 23 31 16 27 
			 Brent 81 84 61 48 59 
			 Bromley 53 27 31 33 38 
			 Camden 169 175 172 132 148 
			 City of London 61 38 53 48 42 
			 Croydon 109 116 87 94 68 
			 Ealing 105 119 84 59 51 
			 Enfield 53 56 52 28 35 
			 Greenwich 83 59 51 52 50 
			 Hackney 85 115 79 71 49 
			 Hammersmith 101 81 82 73 78 
			 Haringey 93 124 84 61 67 
			 Harrow 23 29 45 20 23 
			 Havering 48 51 34 18 28 
			 Hillingdon 64 46 68 25 26 
			 Hounslow 45 51 41 40 45 
			 Islington 121 116 76 82 81 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 106 107 87 99 95 
			 Kingston upon Thames 30 23 30 25 24 
			 Lambeth 162 169 118 123 108 
			 Lewisham 116 119 78 67 70 
			 Merton 49 57 33 45 37 
			 Newham 105 103 87 60 63 
			 Redbridge 48 35 40 26 34 
			 Richmond upon Thames 39 29 33 29 25 
			 Southwark 143 136 109 102 90 
			 Sutton 31 34 31 17 26 
			 Tower Hamlets 90 81 87 63 65 
			 Waltham Forest 58 58 61 43 37 
			 Wandsworth 130 97 106 76 86 
			 Westminster 307 304 220 271 242 
			 (1) Includes serious and slight injuries 
		
	
	
		
			  Reported personal injury road accidents on or near a pedestrian crossing involving at least one pedestrian fatality, by London  boroughs: 2002- 06 
			  Number of accidents 
			  London borough  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Barking 0 2 2 1 0 
			 Barnet 1 4 4 2 1 
			 Bexley 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Brent 1 1 1 1 3 
			 Bromley 0 0 0 1 2 
			 Camden 1 3 1 0 5 
			 City of London 0 0 1 0 1 
			 Croydon 2 3 2 1 0 
			 Ealing 5 3 2 1 2 
			 Enfield 1 1 0 2 3 
			 Greenwich 3 1 2 2 2 
			 Hackney 0 1 3 1 1 
			 Hammersmith 0 3 3 1 3 
			 Haringey 3 6 1 2 1 
			 Harrow 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Havering 1 2 0 1 0 
			 Hillingdon 2 1 0 0 1 
			 Hounslow 0 0 1 3 5 
			 Islington 2 1 1 1 1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1 5 0 0 0 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lambeth 2 3 1 4 0 
			 Lewisham 3 3 1 2 1 
			 Merton 0 2 0 0 0 
			 Newham 0 1 0 0 1 
			 Redbridge 1 1 0 1 1 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 1 2 0 0 
			 Southwark 1 2 1 2 2 
			 Sutton 2 1 1 1 0 
			 Tower Hamlets 1 3 1 4 1 
			 Waltham Forest 1 0 0 2 0 
			 Wandsworth 0 2 2 0 1 
			 Westminster 6 3 5 2 6

Roads: Capital Investment

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the scheduled date for  (a) start and  (b) completion of construction is for each scheme in the Highways Agency's Targeted Programme for Improvements.

Tom Harris: The following table shows the current forecasted start and completion date for construction for each scheme in the Highways Agency Major Roads Programme, subject to satisfactory completion of statutory processes and availability of funding.
	
		
			  Scheme name  Start of works  Open for traffic  Scheme status 
			 A2 BeanCobham Phase 2 Pepperhill-Cobham Improvement September 2006 December 2008 Construction 
			 A2/A282 Dartford Improvement August 2006 May 2008 Construction 
			 A11 FivewaysThetford Improvement March 2013 March 2015 Development 
			 M6 Carlisle to Guardsmill Extension July 2006 December 2008 Construction 
			 A14 Haughley New StStowmarket Improvement June 2007 July 2008 Construction 
			 A3 Hindhead Improvement January 2007 August 2011 Construction 
			 A38 Dobwalls Bypass November 2006 September 2008 Construction 
			 A595 ParfonLillyhall Improvement January 2007 October 2008 Construction 
			 A1 PeterboroughBlyth Grade Separated Junction September 2006 October 2008 Construction 
			 M62 Junction 6 Improvement April 2007 November 2008 Construction 
			 A46 NewarkWidmerpool Improvement April 2012 September 2016 Development 
			 A30 Bodmin Indian Queens Improvement July 2005 July 2007 Construction 
			 A5117/A550 Deeside Park Junctions Improvement October 2006 October 2008 Construction 
			 A419 Blunsdon Bypass September 2006 December 2008 Construction 
			 A66 Temple Sowerby and Imp at Winderwath February 2006 October 2007 Construction 
			 A1 Dishforth to Leeming (A1 Dishforth to Barton) Improvement March 2008 June 2011 Development 
			 A1 BramhamWetherby (Including Wetherby BP) Bypass April 2007 June 2009 Construction 
			 A1 Leeming to Barton (At Dishforth to Barton) Improvement March 2008 June 2009 Development 
			 A47 Blofield to North Burlingham Dualling April 2011 October 2012 Development 
			 A66 Greta Bridge to Stephen Bank Improvement March 2006 July 2007 Construction 
			 A66 Carkin Moor to Scotch Corner Improvement March 2006 July 2007 Construction 
			 A66 Long Newton Junction improvement February 2007 May 2008 Construction 
			 A69 Haydon Bridge Bypass January 2007 October 2008 Construction 
			 M1 J19/M6 Improvement February 2009 February 2012 Development 
			 A14 EllingtonFen Ditton Improvement January 2010 January 2014 Options 
			 A57/A628 Mottram in Longdendale, Hollingworth and Tintwistle Bypass August 2012 December 2015 Development 
			 A45/A46 Tollbar End Improvement July 2009 June 2012 Development 
			 M1 Junction 6a to 10 Widening March 2006 December 2008 Construction 
			 M1 Junction 10 to 13 Widening December 2008 December 2011 Development 
			 A1/A19/A1068 Seaton Burn Junction Improvement April 2011 April 2013 Options 
			 A19/A184 Testos Grade Separated Junction improvement November 2009 May 2011 Options 
			 A505 Dunstable Northern Bypass (A5 to M1 Link) July 2013 February 2015 Development 
			 A421 Bedford to M1 Junction 13 Improvement October 2008 December 2010 Development 
			 A21 Tonbridge to Pembury Improvement October 2010 October 2012 Development 
			 M40 Junction 15 (Longbridge Roundabout) Improvement March 2008 September 2010 Development 
			 A590 High and Low Newton Bypass August 2006 May 2008 Construction 
			 M20 Junction 10A Improvement April 2010 March 2012 Options 
			 A27 Southerham to Beddingham Improvement October 2006 June 2008 Construction 
			 M1 J21-30 (Phase 1) Widening January 2008 March 2011 Development 
			 M1 J21-30 (Phase 2) Widening October 2010 October 2014 Options 
			 M25 J1b-3 Widening (Section 3) June 2007 March 2009 Construction 
			 M25 J5-7 Widening (Section 2) October 2012 September 2014 Development 
			 M25 J 16-23 Widening (Section 1) January 2009 June 2012 Development 
			 M25 J23-27 Widening (Section 5) October 2012 June 2015 Development 
			 M25 J27-30 Widening (Section 4) January 2010 December 2011 Development 
			 A21 Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst Bypass May 2011 April 2013 Development 
			 A23 Handcross to Warninglid Widening September 2009 March 2012 Development 
			 A453 Widening (M1 J24 to A52 Nottingham) July 2009 November 2011 Development 
			 M25 Junction 28/A12 Brook Street Junction Improvement May 2007 February 2008 Construction 
			 M27 J1 1-J12 Climbing Lanes January 2008 October 2008 Development 
			 M27J3 To J4 Widening' January 2008 March 2009 Development 
			 M1 J30 to J31 Widening (SWYMBUS) July 2011 June 2014 Options 
			 M1 J31 to J32 Widening (SWYMBUS) January 2007 November 2007 Construction 
			 M1 J32 to J 34 Widening (SWYMBUS) April 2011 September 2013 Options 
			 M1 J34N to J37 Widening (SWYMBUS) January 2011 December 2014 Options 
			 M1 J37 to J39 Widening (SWYMBUS) October 2012 December 2015 Options 
			 M1 J39 to J42 Widening (SWYMBUS) September 2009 July 2013 Options 
			 M1 J31-32 N/B Collector/ Distributor Widening 1SWYMBUS) July 2014 March 2016 Options 
			 M62 J25 to J27 Widening (SWYMBUS) June 2009 June 2014 Options 
			 M62 J27 to Jet 28 Widening (SWYMBUS) June 2009 June 2014 Options

Roads: Capital Investment

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Government are on track to achieve its target of delivering  (a) 100 new bypasses on trunk and local roads and  (b) 130 major local road schemes by 2010; and what the (i) construction costs, (ii) scheduled date for start of construction, (iii) expected completion date and (iv) current status as at 1 April 2007 was for each existing scheme.

Rosie Winterton: The 10 Year Plan published in July 2000 set out very broad indicative figures for the number of bypasses that might be delivered on the trunk and local road network over the 10 year period.
	As at 1 April 2007, the Highways Agency had completed 45 major trunk road schemes, 21 of these were bypass schemes. Local highway authorities had completed 43 local major road schemes, 20 of which are bypasses.
	I have placed in the Library of the House two tables which provide information on (i) construction costs, (ii) scheduled date for start of construction, (iii) expected completion date and (iv) current status of both Highways Agency and local authority major road schemes which are currently at various stages within the approval process.

Roads: Safety

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research she plans to undertake into the under-reporting identified in Road Safety Research Report 69; and if she will make a statement on the inclusion of insurance status in the Stats 19 form.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department and the Office for National Statistics are currently undertaking a project to match individual records from STATS19 with records from hospital admissions resulting from road accidents. The resulting matched database should allow for further investigation into levels of reporting.
	Additionally, questions on road accidents were added to the National Travel Survey (NTS) in January 2007. In future, this will provide an independent, non-administrative source, which will help track broad trends. The first data will be available summer 2008.
	Changes to the information collected on the STATS 19 personal injury road accident reporting form, including insurance status, will be considered in the next review of STATS19. The findings of the next review will be implemented in 2011.

Roads: Safety

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment her Department has made of road safety in the Coventry area.

Jim Fitzpatrick: No separate assessment of Coventry has been undertaken but Coventry is a partner in the West Midlands Local Transport Plan (LTP), along with each of the metropolitan authorities and Centro. For the period of the first LTP (2001-06) performance for road safety was assessed as strong. The strategy for road safety for the second LTP (2006-11) was assessed as excellent. Both assessments were completed in December 2006.

Shipping

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will take steps to  (a) increase the numbers of (i) British registered merchant ships and (ii) merchant navy officers and  (b) to increase the size of the UK maritime skills base; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: A new campaign to re-invigorate the UK Register was launched in February 2006 when the then Minister for Shipping (the hon. Member for South Thanet) held a reception for shipowners/operators at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich with the theme of Safety through partnership. In addition, a review of the MCA's Marketing Strategy was undertaken during the second half of 2006 and the recommendations from this are now being implemented.
	A measure of the success of this campaign is that at the end of March 2007 the number of merchant vessels on the UK Ship Register was 1,459, of which the gross tonnage was in excess of 13 million for the first time in 10 years. (If we include all sea-going vessels over 100 gross tonnes, as in the Department for Transport's published statistics, the number of vessels is over 1,900 and the gross tonnage over 14 million).
	The Government are currently engaged with social partners, considering joint proposals from the Chamber of Shipping, RMT and Nautilus UK for stimulating UK and EEA rating and officer training and employment.
	Although recruitment is a matter for the shipping companies themselves, a dedicated industry body, the Merchant Navy Training Board (which includes representatives from industry, trade unions and the Government), actively promotes officer training, and the Department for Transport gives financial assistance to training providers through the Support for Maritime Training Scheme (SMarT), for the training of officers and ratings. The support available under SMarT at present amounts to roughly half of the cost of training provided by maritime colleges.
	Seafarer training is also a key element of the UK tonnage tax which imposes a minimum training obligation (MTO) on companies entering the scheme. This is to train one officer trainee per year for every 15 officer posts in the company's effective officer complement. The MTO is cumulative and covers each trainee for up to three years.

South West Trains: Fares

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with South West Trains on the 20 per cent. fare increase for mid-morning passengers to London from  (a) Southampton,  (b) Winchester and  (c) Dorset.

Tom Harris: The Secretary of State has had no discussions with South West Trains regarding the 20 per cent. fare increase for mid-morning passengers to London as these fares are unregulated.

Traffic Accidents

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many road traffic accidents involved commercial coaches in London in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many traffic accidents there were involving  (a) buses,  (b) pedestrians and  (c) cyclists in each London borough in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of reported personal injury accidents involving buses/coaches, pedestrians and cyclists in each London borough since 2002 are given in the following table.
	Commercial coaches are not separately identifiable.
	
		
			  Number of accidents 
			  Road user type  London borough  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Pedestrians Barking and Dagenham 120 95 112 96 92 
			  Barnet 255 244 230 204 219 
			  Bexley 131 106 96 93 99 
			  Brent 277 243 229 200 188 
			  Bromley 197 153 143 119 128 
			  Camden 348 344 313 265 244 
			  City of London 112 78 100 86 109 
			  Croydon 262 275 240 250 201 
			  Ealing 304 302 241 246 195 
			  Enfield 228 204 168 172 147 
			  Greenwich 207 180 165 182 165 
			  Hackney 248 249 211 240 158 
			  Hammersmith and Fulham 194 180 175 178 160 
			  Haringey 291 268 242 198 190 
			  Harrow 99 118 117 110 100 
			  Havering 123 142 97 107 96 
			  Hillingdon 178 125 154 138 128 
			  Hounslow 160 162 141 109 124 
			  Islington 299 254 181 193 160 
			  Kensington and Chelsea 198 185 157 204 191 
			  Kingston-upon- Thames 98 88 65 59 66 
			  Lambeth 351 343 288 309 229 
			  Lewisham 269 268 227 206 200 
			  Merton 103 138 92 100 93 
			  Newham 242 241 215 188 198 
			  Redbridge 163 150 137 130 133 
			  Richmond-upon- Thames 116 97 106 84 66 
			  Southwark 298 318 268 233 217 
			  Sutton 84 111 101 87 78 
			  Tower Hamlets 209 186 186 180 170 
			  Waltham Forest 193 178 179 173 145 
			  Wandsworth 253 221 214 166 197 
			  Westminster 628 654 616 547 504 
			
			 Cyclists Barking and Dagenham 37 27 41 38 39 
			  Barnet 64 73 53 57 51 
			  Bexley 37 29 28 28 30 
			  Brent 75 64 65 74 59 
			  Bromley 59 68 60 48 37 
			  Camden 171 194 189 190 169 
			  City of London 82 68 85 105 123 
			  Croydon 67 69 97 72 79 
			  Ealing 109 115 90 73 84 
			  Enfield 74 59 51 51 39 
			  Greenwich 50 52 55 55 49 
			  Hackney 125 143 134 136 141 
			  Hammersmith and Fulham 132 138 143 143 122 
			  Haringey 80 52 77 60 73 
			  Harrow 32 28 39 36 37 
			  Havering 38 31 32 26 25 
			  Hillingdon 64 68 62 64 58 
			  Hounslow 87 101 66 84 70 
			  Islington 187 186 167 166 161 
			  Kensington and Chelsea 118 110 99 156 144 
			  Kingston-upon- Thames 46 49 51 50 47 
			  Lambeth 193 195 202 163 201 
			  Lewisham 77 88 86 86 101 
			  Merton 69 55 68 59 51 
			  Newham 65 65 63 56 69 
			  Redbridge 40 45 38 40 31 
			  Richmond-upon- Thames 81 102 78 80 75 
			  Southwark 202 202 157 165 212 
			  Sutton 51 33 40 40 54 
			  Tower Hamlets 90 80 108 104 115 
			  Waltham Forest 60 61 54 63 58 
			  Wandsworth 175 156 169 154 157 
			  Westminster 268 319 274 257 275 
			
			 Bus/Coaches Barking and Dagenham 41 39 30 28 31 
			  Barnet 95 104 87 78 60 
			  Bexley 64 41 53 50 56 
			  Brent 91 91 76 92 63 
			  Bromley 113 76 98 78 63 
			  Camden 128 161 146 123 101 
			  City of London 44 40 49 53 45 
			  Croydon 88 99 89 117 90 
			  Ealing 98 106 107 115 88 
			  Enfield 83 82 88 57 64 
			  Greenwich 98 113 101 94 93 
			  Hackney 95 130 113 98 84 
			  Hammersmith and Fulham 53 82 66 67 49 
			  Haringey 90 96 107 76 83 
			  Harrow 28 38 31 32 23 
			  Havering 63 49 77 45 53 
			  Hillingdon 52 57 73 59 49 
			  Hounslow 60 59 60 61 61 
			  Islington 98 107 123 89 63 
			  Kensington and Chelsea 62 79 62 71 43 
			  Kingston-upon- Thames 34 42 26 38 28 
			  Lambeth 165 170 152 149 106 
			  Lewisham 132 127 132 122 108 
			  Merton 52 47 41 45 26 
			  Newham 79 80 72 70 80 
			  Redbridge . 57 55 51 42 45 
			  Richmond-upon- Thames 42 49 41 43 31 
			  Southwark 158 178 148 135 156 
			  Sutton 33 41 38 44 33 
			  Tower Hamlets 51 54 44 55 53 
			  Waltham Forest 54 62 65 56 60 
			  Wandsworth 93 109 110 87 58 
			  Westminster 370 434 383 291 290

Transport: Capital Investment

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authority major transport schemes have departmental approval; whether each scheme has  (a) full and  (b) provisional approval; what the scheduled date for (i) start and (ii) completion of construction is; and what the capital cost of each such scheme is estimated to be.

Rosie Winterton: I have placed a table setting out the information requested for local transport major schemes, costing over 5 million, in the House Library.

Transport: Radioactive Materials

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the  (a) safety and  (b) security of (i) trains, (ii) aircraft and (iii) road freight transporting radioactive material; and with whom responsibility lies for conducting the risk assessment for such trains.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is as follows.
	 (a) The safety of the transport of radioactive material is ensured by the use of appropriate packaging and is not dependent on the mode(s) of transport employed. The transport of radioactive material by all modes of transport is governed by the stringent internationally-agreed standards recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an agency appointed by the United Nations to oversee all aspects of the peaceful uses of atomic energy worldwide. During the period of over 40 years that the IAEA regulations have been in existence, there has been no instance of death or serious injury to persons, nor significant damage to the environment, from radiological effects caused during the transport of radioactive material worldwide by all modes of transport when properly packaged and transported in conformity with these regulations.
	The Radiation Protection Division of the Health Protection Agency, acting under contract to the Department for Transport, carries out periodic assessments of the radiological impact of the transport of radioactive material under normal and abnormal conditions. A list of recent reports can be found on the Department's website at the following location:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/freight/dgt1/publications/notes/theradiologicalimpactofthetrl 178
	 (b) The security of the transport of radioactive material by road or rail is governed by the security measures introduced by The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment (Amendment) Regulations 2005. These security requirements are based on international agreements. Measures include the need for operators to develop and have in place a detailed security plan which includes a written risk assessment of their operations where radioactive materials are stored in transit. All freight carried by air from UK airports is subject to the requirements of the DFT's National Aviation Security Programme to ensure that it is not being used to commit an act of violence against a civil aviation target, for example by containing an
	improvised explosive device. Freight on incoming flights remains the responsibility of the country where that aircraft departed from and is similarly covered by a mixture of international regulation and best practice
	The transport of material connected with the civil nuclear fuel cycle (nuclear material) is carried out in accordance with stringent security regulationsthe Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003 (as amended). These regulations are administered and enforced by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS), which regulates the security of nuclear material in transit, by road, rail and sea (including globally, when nuclear material is carried on a UK flagged vessel).
	The security of the transport of nuclear material was thoroughly reviewed following the events of September 11 2001, and is regularly reviewed in light of the prevailing threat. OCNS is satisfied that the measures in place to prevent theft or sabotage are adequately robust, and that in the event that a credible threat were detected, appropriate action would be taken.
	Under health and safety legislation it is the responsibility of the organisation carrying out any activity to carry out a risk assessment. In the specific case of activities involving radioactive material this is a requirement of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (1999 No. 3232).

Transport: Sunderland

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she received the application for funding the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor; how much funding was requested; and when she will make a decision on the application.

Rosie Winterton: Sunderland city council's major scheme business case for the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor, LTP major road scheme, was submitted to the Department in July 2005.
	The total estimated cost of the scheme in July 2005 was 69.455 million. The business case has raised a number of issues, including modelling, appraisal and costs which require further clarification. My officials are working closely with the council and once these outstanding issues have been resolved we hope to be in a position to make a decision on whether to grant programme entry for the proposed scheme.

Travel: Pollution Control

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the changes have been in her Department's carbon footprint policy in the last three years as a result of  (a) the fall in the relative price of motoring and  (b) the increase in travelling by public transport; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Since undertaking joint responsibility for the Government's public service agreement on climate change in 2004, the Department for Transport has continued to develop policy to reduce the climate change impact of transport. Policies in this area can be summarised as action to:
	improve the fuels that we in the UK consume (eg by reducing their fossil carbon content),
	improve the vehicles we use, for example increasing their efficiency,
	improve the way we travel and the choices we all make, for example encouraging use of more sustainable modes and smarter driving techniques, and
	reduce the Department's own carbon footprint from its operations (as set out in our Sustainable Development Action Plan)
	Changes to the relative cost of private motoring compared to public transport costs are taken into account in the Department's transport modelling. Increases in public transport patronage are also forecast and policy decisions are made in the light of factors such as these.
	More information about Government policies and the associated evidence are set out in greater detail in various publications, including but not limited to:
	 Future of Transport White Paper
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/whitepapers/fot
	 Climate Change: The UK Programme 2006
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/ukccp/index.htm
	 The Eddington Transport Study
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/eddingtonstudy/
	 Putting Passengers First and Draft Local Transport Bill
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/buses/secputtingpassengersfirst and
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/localtransportbill/
	 Meeting the Energy Challenge: A White Paper on Energy
	 http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/whitepaper/page39534.html
	 Low Carbon Transport Innovation Strategy
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/scienceresearch/technology/lctis/
	 The Department's Sustainable Development Action Plan
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/how/sda/
	 Delivering a Sustainable RailwayWhite Paper
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/whitepapers/whitepapercm7176/

Vehicles: Pollution Control

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding was allocated to promoting the use of low emission vehicles in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Until 2006, funding for the promotion of low emission vehicles was provided to the Energy Saving Trust as part of the TransportEnergy programme, which promoted and provided grants. Funding allocated for the TransportEnergy programme was: 2002-03 16.446 million, 2003-04 26.221 million, 2004-05 20.943 million, 2005-06 22 million.
	In 2005 these funds were reviewed and re-focused. In 2006-07 9 million was allocated to the Energy Saving Trust transport programmes. 5 million was allocated to the transport elements of the new Act On CO2 consumer communications campaign, which promotes lower CO2 cars and driving behaviours. 3.5 million was allocated to the Freight Best Practice and Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving programmes which promote fuel efficient logistics, vehicles and driving behaviour in the haulage industry. Funds were also allocated to support the development of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation and feasibility studies, into new programmes such as a green transport accreditation programme for UK businesses.

Vehicles: Pollution Control

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps her Department has taken to promote the use of low emission vehicles in London.

Rosie Winterton: The Department for Transport is working closely with Transport for London to support the implementation of the Mayor's London Low Emission Zone. The Department also liaises with local authorities via the Low Emissions Strategy forum, which shares knowledge and best practice to help local authorities to improve air quality, including low emission zones.

Vehicles: Pollution Control

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) low emission cars and  (b) cars were owned in London in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The number of licensed cars, registered to keepers residing in London, in each CO2 emissions band over the last five years were as follows:
	
		
			   Number of licensed cars at year end 
			  CO 2  emissions  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Up to 100g/km 24 30 31 34 26 
			 101-120g/km 3,317 6,299 9,796 14,424 20,997 
			 121-150g/km 72,457 110,644 151,909 193,982 239,528 
			 151-165g/km 76,170 110,562 144,931 182,458 213,926 
			 166-185g/km 70,269 96,435 131,080 164,303 201,450 
			 Over 185 g/km 146,948 214,626 282,909 349,273 407,673 
			 Unavailable(1) 2,104,246 1,941,312 1,802,235 1,657,175 1,485,794 
			 Total 2,473,431 2,479,908 2,522,891 2,561,649 2,569,394 
			  Note:(1) CO2 emissions data were not collected for cars registered before 1 March 2001. In addition, emissions data are not available for a small number of cars registered after this date.